DateO! DateO! Arc
by Wind Chijmes
Summary: ECHIZEN/DAN. YAOI. Out of the blue, Echizen gets waylaid by a persistent Dan Taiichi...boy angst and blossoming shounen-ai ensue, and all the Seigaku tennis members are quick to get into the action.
1. Middle School Years Prologue

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**************Date-O! Date-O! Arc - Middle School Years - **Prologue

**Pairings :** Dan x Echizen  
**Rating :** PG  
**Warnings : **Shounen-ai, fluff  
**Disclaimer :** Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi  
**Spoilers :** Anything to do with Dan from the Yamabuki Arc in the anime

**Summary : **Out of the blue one day, Echizen got waylaid by a persistent Dan Taiichi...and boy angst and blossoming shounen-ai ensue!

**A/N :** Just something really light and waffy, LOL. I thought the two ochibis look really sweet together! o

* * *

Echizen Ryoma took off his cap, grimacing as his hair tumbled out in wet, messy locks. As if the hair had a life of its own, those locks began plastering themselves to his cheeks and forehead in a most aggravating manner. He'd have worn his cap all the time except it made him look really stupid when he was in his navy-blue school uniform.

He stepped out from the school driveway, glad for the late evening. The air was cool against his face and lifted his hair in soothing caresses. Nice. Everywhere around him was soaked in a film of pink-gold by the setting rays. Momo-senpai had left earlier, flying off on his bicycle and hollering about some meat buns or something. Just as well. Echizen decided that silence was sweet and he was glad he could be free from the hustle and bustle of school and students as he walked home alone.

"Echizen-kun!"

_Oh no..._Like an automatic reflex, Echizen could feel his face darkening into a frown. He just had a strenuous practice, he was tired, he wanted silence and he wanted to be away from people. He didn't recognise that voice, although something about it did click with the bank of memories locked away in his mind. Well, just too bad, then. He wasn't in the mood to indulge.

"Echizen-kun! Echizen-kun!"

This time, that voice was much nearer and so noisy Echizen conceded defeat. Pausing in his tracks, he swivelled his head around. That voice was very high and had a weird buoyancy to it like the owner was either on a sugar-high or just impossibly enthusiastic. At first Echizen didn't see anybody, then a head suddenly popped up right in front of his face and he nearly yelled.

Nearly, so that meant he didn't.

Trying to calm his ruffled composure was another matter. Grimacing, Echizen stared at the offender, not even recognising him at first. He had thought it was a girl initially, but further observation of a gangly frame clad in a too-big jersey and shorts confirmed that it was a boy. But honestly, the face could have passed for a girl any time. Huge, kittenish eyes the colour of liquid-brown, a small nose and smaller mouth, and all of these elfin features framed by a head of tumbling, longish locks.

"Echizen-kun! I'm so glad I found you!" that little mouth split into a bright smile, and small hands curled into victorious fists.

"I don't know you," Echizen replied brusquely as he tried to side-step the boy, frowning when the latter instantly moved to block him.

"But I know you!" The voice continued to gush. "Echizen Ryoma! We've met before, remember? I'm from Yamabuki!"

Heeeh...Yamabuki. Echizen thought he might recall that school. Usually he didn't bother too much with names of fallen opponents, and schools too, for that matter, unless there was some good reason to. He stared blankly at the excited boy in his face. Okay...it was pretty obvious they were about the same age although Echizen was probably one-half times bigger than him. Then Echizen's eyes were drawn to the green band tied around the boy's forehead. Oh, now that looked familiar.

The boy gestured animatedly to himself. "Dan Taiichi!"

Dan. Taiichi.

Echizen had a sudden image of the boy with tears running down his cheeks, lips quivering as he stared after the disappearing figure of this huge, towering...

Akutsu Jin! Echizen's eyes widened as he remembered. Akutsu Jin, all snarls and twisting athleticism, ferocious eyes and flaring ash hair.

Echizen glanced back at the beaming boy again, feeling a little bewildered to connect the rather scary-looking Akutsu to this wisp of a freshman. Oh well. He shrugged. "What do you want?"

"Echizen-kun." The boy bowed deeply and respectfully. "I want to be you."

Echizen blinked stupidly. "Hah?"

* * *

That was the beginning of it. The first of a series of practices that had nothing to do with Echizen's own progress in any way. If anything, Echizen would count it a blessing that his own skills didn't deteriorate in the process of these practices. They were a complete and total waste of his time and energy. And he couldn't even remember why on earth he agreed to them in the first place. Plus, he knew that these practices were not quite within team rules. They still had big matches to prepare for and Echizen himself was strained by increasingly vigorous training routines. By rights, he shouldn't be expending more energy on such useless activities. But...hell, he had agreed. And he blamed it on the incessant wheedling and pleading that the other freshman had subjected him to. Beside, Dan was willing to travel all the way just for these practies. Before Echizen knew it, one practice had stretched into two and three, and now they were at the fourth practice.

Well, damn.

A small hand curled into his sleeve and tugged, snapping him out of his reverie. Fighting the urge to flinch, Echizen carefully pulled away before turning to the boy who had been haunting him for the past two weeks.

"Can we rally now, Echizen-kun?"

It couldn't exactly be called rallying. It was more Echizen hitting the ball over and Dan trying his darndest to return at a reasonable speed and accuracy. Nodding shortly, Echizen took his place on his side of the court. He watched as Dan scampered to the opposite end. It was amazing how Dan could barely keep up even with the simplest of shots and still maintain that brimming enthusiasm.

The Akutsu thing must have affected him a lot. Previously, Echizen remembered everything now, Dan had been contented to be team manager, or errand boy, rather, and perpetually in the shadow of everyone else on the Yamabuki team. He was also a fluffy, flouncy and altogether too naïve kid.

Echizen stifled a sigh as Dan caught his staring from the other side of the court and waved before assuming his receiving stance again. Dan was still a fluffy, flouncy and altogether too naïve kid.

Raising his arm, Echizen served a normal, straight serve but with enough strength behind it to make it a fairly challenging shot to return. He watched again as Dan moved, a blur of white, green and brown as he met the ball. The kid had reasonably good speed for a beginner, Echizen decided, before hitting the return. This time, he placed the shot on the side-line to force the other boy into a wild dash to return it. Echizen's gaze grew critical as the returning cross-court shot was not as deep or angled enough to make him run for it. No good, no good. For the third ball, he put a spin on it, so it would rebound beyond Dan's reach.

Echizen straightened, knowing the shot wouldn't be returned this time.

Dan was totally out of position and his panicked scramble backwards was not enough to let him reach the ball properly.

Then, amber eyes widened, just imperceptibly so.

In a desperate leap, Dan's small body rose into the air, racquet arcing wildly. And the strings just - just managed to catch the ball, and send it back over the net.

Echizen didn't have to look to know that the ball would fly wide. He approached the net, then around it to where Dan was bent, hands braced on thighs as he drew in ragged breaths. Echizen stared down at Dan, then spoke without waiting for the boy to recover his breath. "Don't bend your wrist too much. You're not playing badminton. You'd hurt your wrist. You also need to run more, and work out more. You don't have enough power and speed. And..." He trailed off when he suddenly found himself the subject of a earnest, chocolate-brown gaze.

"And?" Dan said, still a little breathless, as he plonked himself onto the ground and smiled back at Echizen.

"And drink more milk," Echizen replied a tad gruffly. Milk was still a sensitive issue for him. Every bottle reminded him of his still-short and still-growing stature. While he knew that his height had never been too much of an issue when it came to skill level, it had hampered him before. And Dan was even smaller and shorter than he was. "Three bottles each day," Echizen added, trying not to smirk.

Dan's face scrunched up in an expression of childish distaste. "I hate milk."

Amen to that. "Drink it." Now Echizen felt fairly sure he was being sadistic about it.

"Especially strawberry," Dan continued, face getting even more scrunched up.

Echizen thought about it for a moment, before blanching in disgust.

"Gross!" They both said at the same time.

Dan grinned and for a moment, Echizen's normally expressionless expression relaxed into an almost-smile. However, Dan was quicker to sober.

"Arigatou desu," Dan said quickly, gratefully, even clasping his hands together at his chest. "For helping me so much with tennis. And spending all that time with me. Even my senpai didn't want to..." he faltered, trailing off with a distinct dimming of his smile.

Echizen shifted uncomfortably. Was this the part where he was supposed to probe so that Dan could unbottle his feelings or something? Echizen realised he had absolutely no idea. Rather jerkily, he sat down next to Dan. "So, your senpai..." he began, then froze up.

"Senpai are all preparing for their matches." Dan forged ahead, appearing not to notice Echizen's discomfort. Quite contrary, he seemed almost grateful that Echizen was prepared to listen to his griping. "I don't blame them, really! But they don't have a lot of time for me, you see. And with Akutsu-senpai gone...we only have Sengoku-senpai who can match up to the big teams...Sensei is so worried too, even if he keeps smiling about it."

"What about you?" That question shot out of Echizen's mouth before he could help it.

"Me? I'm not good enough...I can't help the team no matter how hard I try. You saw it just now, Echizen-kun...I'm so bad at tennis!" Dan gazed at him out of suddenly bright eyes. He shrugged, a gesture meant to look light-hearted, except it wrung drops of moisture from the corners of his eyes.

Amber eyes rounded in comical dismay as they followed the slow slide of those childish tears from equally rounded chocolate-brown eyes, over reddened cheeks. Echizen heard all the alarms go off in his mind. Dan was...Dan was CRYING! Echizen was terrible at consoling crying people!

"Not yet good enough," Echizen corrected, then grimaced when he realised that that probably wasn't the most appropriate words of consolation. He really was bad at this!

Dan tried to smile again, but his smile wobbled for a second before fading and his lips quivered. "Sorr...sorry, Echizen-kun..." he said shakily. "You must...must think...I'm a baby..."

"Yea - no. No!" Echizen watched helplessly as more tears spilled from Dan's eyes, dripping off his cheeks and chin in silvery streams. This was bad. Echizen's fingers were getting clammy and his chest was tightening like there were a thousand Momo-senpai sitting on it. The more coherent part of his mind willed Dan to pull himself together and stop crying because he was certainly in no shape to do it for him.

By now Dan had curled his arms around himself, looking very much like a fluff-haired ball. His head was tucked against his chest, face hidden to prevent Echizen from seeing his crying, but the shudders running through his slight body gave it all away.

Echizen considered for a rather evil moment to just leave Dan there. He was tempted to; his initial reaction towards any situation he'd rather not deal with was to walk away. But to do that to Dan, this little quivering mass of thin limbs and fragile emotions, seemed really, really mean. Echizen could already hear all his senpai's unified reproach:

__

You have a heart of stone, Echizen Ryoma!

"H...hey..." Echizen's hand hovered, before the boy nodded determinedly and laid it on one frail shoulder.

For the next five minutes, Echizen Ryoma's mind shut down as his assaulted senses fought to deal with a warm body launching into his chest, an equally warm face burying against his neck and small hands fisting into his jersey.

When he had somewhat reined in his initial response to scream, Echizen had to deal with the next onslaught of responses. The second was to throw off that body curled into him, and Echizen quickly thought of Karupin in his arms. That's right. This was Karupin in his chest, her paws in his jersey. If it was Karupin, then everything was okay. Then came the third response where Echizen's mind was simply recoiling in horror. The still-damp and very warm face against his neck could never be Karupin!

In spiking desperation, Echizen thought of breathing exercises. _Breathe in. Breathe out. Don't breathe. Breathe in. Breathe out. Don't breathe._ Several of these exercises lent him enough composure to finally uncurl his hands and lower them to his sides so he wouldn't give into the urge to pull Dan off himself. He was motionless after that, practically a living statue as he weathered the trembling and sniffling against his body.

"Sorry, Echizen-kun," Dan whispered.

Echizen jumped. He couldn't help it! Those words were spoken right against his neck, raising goosebumps where Dan's breaths had gusted over his skin. "N...no..." Echizen's voice shook a little but was otherwise steady and he was unnaturally glad for it. "No problem."

Taking it as a sign of acquiescence, Dan snuggled his face deeper into the crook of Echizen's neck. His fists relaxed from Echizen's jersey, arms rising to curl around Echizen's shoulders. For a moment after that new development in position, it was hard to tell which boy was the more distressed.

"'Kaa-san used to hug me like this," Dan said quietly. His sobbing had eased somewhat and what were left behind were the soft hitches of breaths that couldn't quite ease. "Do you think she's ashamed of my tennis?"

That last question...asked in a painfully wretched tone. Echizen tried to wrap his fogged mind around it so he could formulate some good answer. The mother, huh. He had the idea that most parents were proud of whatever their kids did, even bad things. His own parents were kinda okay. A sudden image of Oyaji and his ecchi magazines. Maybe not entirely okay.

"Your tennis isn't bad," Echizen said carefully, awkwardly leaning back to brace his hands on the ground. It was tiring to carry his own and another boy's weight.

"Do you mean it?"

Echizen thought that one over more carefully. "Yeah." It was true. He had seen much worse. Besides...if he had to admit it, Dan had potential that was more than the average kid. "You just have to..." Echizen was suddenly reminded again how he sucked at dispensing comfort. "Believe in yourself." That was lame, but it didn't sound half-bad now that he had said it.

The head at his neck shifted, and Echizen found himself with a faceful of soft, fluffy bangs, before they lifted and he was looking into a tear-stained face inexplicably brightened by a guilelessly radiant smile and shining eyes.

"You really are the best, Echizen-kun!"

* * *

"Here's a letter for you, Ryoma."

Letter?

Bleary-eyed, Echizen took the small white envelope and stared blankly at it. He hardly ever got letters. Who needed letters when there were things like mobile phones now? For a while, he contemplated throwing it away. He didn't recognise the handwriting and his mind was already recalling all the crazy instances of female schoolmates presenting gaily-decorated bento and cutesey gifts and pink letters to him. Gah. He stared down at the letter again. It was pristine white...and on that note, it didn't scare him like a pink envelope would.

Besides, his curiosity was piqued now. Shoving a spoonful of egg into his mouth, he quickly opened the flap, tearing it a little in the process. A piece of paper fell out, also pristine white in colour. Echizen was fully relieved now, convinced that this wasn't the work of an obsessed fellow schoolmate. The folded paper was pulled open and laid out flat on the table as Echizen read it between mouthfuls.

__

Dear Echizen-kun,  
I wanted to say this the other day but I couldn't do it

Echizen frowned in puzzlement. Say what?

__

I guess I was too nervous. Come to think of it, I really was too nervous! I've thought for days how to say it, but I'm still nervous.

A rather blah look was already settling over Echizen's boyish features. What the hell was going on with the letter anyway?! If anything, the tone of the words was starting to get Echizen nervous too.

__

I'm so sorry for jumping onto you like that the other day. It's so embarrassing! Forgive me.

Oh! Echizen wanted to laugh at himself for getting nervous. It's just Dan Taiichi! He swallowed another mouthful, washing it down with a gulp of milk. He had to finish reading fast, or he'd be late for school. Again.

__

I thought and thought and thought about it, and I think I have to say it.

Say what?! Echizen rolled his eyes, already standing up and reaching for his school-bag.

__

I have a crush on you!

The bag slipped from Echizen's hands.

"Ryoma?" A gentle feminine voice was saying. "What's wrong? Don't you have school?"

_I'd be waiting for you at the street tennis courts next Wednesday! Please come!_

"Ryoma?"

Echizen's head snapped up, amber eyes drawn impossibly wide. His mouth opened, closed, then opened again, working out words that couldn't unstuck from his throat. So, he did the next most natural thing under such trying circumstances.

He snatched up the letter and fled to his bedroom, slamming the door with a deafening crash behind him.

* * *

fin  
June 2004


	2. Middle School Years Chapter 01

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**************Date-O! Date-O! Arc - Middle School Years - **01

**Pairings :** Dan x Echizen, (beginnings of InuiKai, FujiTez, Golden Pair, ShinKam)  
**Rating :** PG  
**Warnings : **Shounen-ai, fluff, TWT (timeline IS altered)  
**Disclaimer :** Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi  
**Spoilers :** Episode 71 in particular

**Summary : **A traumatised Echizen agonises over the impending meeting (date-o!) with an infatuated Dan, not realising that his whole bunch of nosey senpais are in there for the ride as well!

**A/N :** Quite a chaotic chapter, this one, LOL. Can't help it! The Seigaku regulars are always so fun. Oh, it's advisable to read the Prologue before this chapter, but not necessary. Besides, Echizen's senpais are such a nosey bunch they'll dig out everything from Echizen anyway! LOL.

* * *

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Dear Echizen-kun,

I wanted to say this the other day but I couldn't do it.  
I guess I was too nervous. Come to think of it, I really was too nervous! I've thought for days how to say it, but I'm still nervous.  
I'm so sorry for jumping onto you like that the other day. It's so embarrassing! Forgive me.  
I thought and thought and thought about it, and I think I have to say it.

I have a crush on you!

I'd be waiting for you at the street tennis courts next Wednesday! Please come!

"Oi, Echizen...OI!"

"Huh?" Echizen Ryoma blinked large amber-coloured eyes as he looked around him dazedly. "Oh, Momo-senpai."

Grinning and obviously in a good mood, the strapping, spiky-haired sophomore waved a hand at him. "Penny for your thoughts?" Momo stretched out a hand as if to ruffle the younger boy's hair.

"Too cheap," Echizen dodged neatly, customary blasé expression firmly in place on his boyish features.

Momo's violet eyes widened in mock dismay. Then he dropped that pity-me act and grinned. "What about hamburgers?"

The frown eased from the freshman's brows. It was nothing short of amazing that the word 'hamburger' could single-handedly transform the Echizen's trademark don't-touch-me-I-bite expression into a radiant, twelve-year-old grin. Freaky.

"Momo-senpai is paying for the hamburgers, right?"

Freaky and calculative.

"NANI, NANI?! Did someone say 'hamburgers' nyaa?!"

Both Echizen and Momo jumped like they'd been electrified. The first to recover, Momo spun around and glared crossly at the uninvited speaker. "Eiji-senpai! Stop popping up out of nowhere! It's hella scary!"

If anything, Momo's indignation only goaded the impish third-year student into more antics. Beaming like an irrepressible ray of sunlight, Kikumaru Eiji flung his arms around the rather hapless Echizen. "Ochibi looks depressed, nya! What's bothering you? Tell me! Tell me!"

Momo swung around in surprise. Depressed? He stuck his face into Echizen's and stared so hard he nearly got cross-eyed. Hmm...he tried to get some insight as he studied those boyish features now gathered into a startlingly adult-like scowl. Maybe Echizen was even more reticent than usual...maybe those huge amber eyes looked a tad more dazed than before...and those pursed lips pouting even more impetuously than usual too...Hmm...

"Momo-senpai," Echizen spoke levelly, but something in his tone clearly threatened death by tennis. "Are you quite finished?"

"Che," Momo snorted in disgust as he removed his face with an airy gesture. "There's nothing wrong with Echizen, Eiji-senpai. He's just as grouchy as ever."

"Nothing wrong with Momo-senpai either. Just as annoying as ever."

For the next minute, Kikumaru Eiji found himself flopping his arms rather futilely as he tried to pacify two glaring, bristling kouhai. If anything, Kikumaru was certainly not cut out for mediation. "Uwaa, guys, guys!" the flustered redhead shook his fists in the air. "Stop fighting! What about the hamburgers, nya?!"

It actually worked. Cackling violet and simmering amber eased off, and the two younger boys glanced up at Kikumaru in all wide-eyed junior innocence.

"You're paying, RIGHT? Eiji-senpai?" Momo grinned.

There was a pause from Echizen, before the he tilted his head up at Kikumaru with a decidedly shrewd smirk on his lips. "It's so nice of you, senpai."

By Momo's third cheeseburger, it was pretty clear that Kikumaru had been uncannily accurate about Echizen's mood. There was something off about the kid. Momo shot a look at Echizen from the corner of his eye. The freshman had barely touched his burger, taking absent-minded bites between intervals of staring distantly into space. Plus, he would break into fits of staring at his watch or his mobile phone like they would leap up and bite him unawares.

All this little out-of-character behaviourism was highly suspicious. Firstly, Echizen never miss out on cheeseburgers. Secondly, nothing distracted Echizen, unless it was tennis. Which all lead to the third point. Hardly anything about tennis could distract Echizen either. There weren't many players in the junior-high circuit who could even come close to thinking about winning Echizen. Momo wondered if he should ask Echizen again what was bothering him.

Still caught between senpai-concern and the uncomfortable knowledge that Echizen's tongue was always sharper when he was in a bad mood, Momo was lost.

"Ok, I've HAD it!"

Momo choked on his mouthful of half-masticated burger. Echizen still stared into space.

"OCHIBI!" Kikumaru's face was set in a petulant scowl. "What's WRONG with you?!"

_Way to go, Eiji-senpai, real smooth._ Momo snickered inwardly. Trust Eiji-senpai to pounce on Echizen first and be so brutally blunt about it too. Seated next to Momo, Echizen sighed audibly as his refocused on a very peeved Kikumaru. Of all their seniors, Kikumaru was the hardest to shake off once he had decided to cling on and never let go. And he did the clinging thing too often.

"Nothing." Echizen replied flatly.

"USOTSUKI!"

Echizen closed his eyes as if to deny the existence of Kikumaru altogether. "I'm full. And I'm leaving."

"Where're you going?!"

"Somewhere."

"Could it be...a...DATE-O!" Kikumaru cackled jokingly.

The conversation came to an abrupt as Echizen unceremoniously spun on his heels and stalked out of the fast-foot outlet. Momo and Kikumaru both found themselves gaping at Echizen's back as the freshman disappeared. There wasn't even so much as a backward glance at his two gawking seniors. Ok, something was definitely very wrong. Echizen wasn't exactly the warmest person, but even his odd behaviour for the day was unsettling.

"Eiji-senpai...that was weird."

Kikumaru nodded his flouncy red head in agreement. "Very weird! I wonder what set him off, nya!"

"...hmm...He lost a tennis match, maybe?"

"School!"

"Bullies!"

"Pocket money!"

"Puberty!"

Then they both paused, before flashing thousand-wattage grins at each other. "PUPPY LOVE!" they chorused in unison.

Echizen found himself walking circles. He'd circle the bowling alley, then look up and realise that he had been circling it, then he'd wander off and circle the pool hall, then look up and frown when he realised he had been circling it too. At this rate he was going, there wouldn't be too many buildings left for him to circle. Several times he'd catch himself heading in the direction of the street tennis courts, then he'd freeze in his tracks and quickly scramble back to the starting point - the traffic junction that he had been circling even more than the bowling alley and pool hall added together.

He had been obsessing over it for more than several days already, until he couldn't put it off any longer. Today was the day. Wednesday.

__

I'd be waiting for you at the street tennis courts next Wednesday! Please come!

With those ominous words still reverberating around his mind, Echizen's head snapped up as he realised something even worse. This...this meeting on Wednesday thing. Did this mean...that...this...was...a...DATE-O?! That was what Kikumaru-senpai said, right?

Oh, he knew that word of doom. It was something he heard often from his assorted senpai. A sigh escaped him when he thought of those bunch of crazy, colourful and altogether too hormone-charged guys. Then his snicker turned into a long-suffering groan when he also remembered the kind of teasing they were capable of. If they so much as got a whiff of his predicament, they'd be on his case till...the next century!

Suddenly alarmed, Echizen straightened and whipped around. He stared this way, and that, gaze darting all around his surroundings. Passers-by, shops, students, office-workers...but no grinning and leering Seigaku senpai in sight. Unconvinced, he checked and scanned every possible hiding place that could contain a whole Seigaku regular team. Still no senpai in sight.

Remembering to breathe again, Echizen finally managed to somewhat get a hold on his turbulent thoughts. He decided that reason and logic were the best way of dealing with this rather...unexpected circumstance. He had to deal with it; he didn't like unexpected circumstances. They made him feel lost and inadequate and edgy like he had been feeling for the past few days.

Okay, step by step. He could do this step by step. Firstly, Dan Taiichi was just someone.

You taught that SOMEONE tennis. You TAUGHT him.

Echizen concentrated on his exercise in logic, determined to shut out that little mocking voice in his head. Secondly, Dan Taiichi was just naturally enthusiastic.

So enthusiastic that he used you for a pillow! You CUDDLED him!

Echizen's boyish features distorted into a rather ugly scowl at that. He didn't cuddle anyone. Echizen Ryoma did not cuddle anyone! Thirdly -

Denial!

Thirdly, Dan Taiichi probably just wanted to ask him something about tennis. Yes, that was all! Tennis. As if in agreement, Echizen's heart calmed almost immediately at that thought. Tennis was familiar. Tennis was comforting. Tennis was his playing field.

Etching that thought firmly into his mind and using it as a mental support of sorts, Echizen moved, feet finally obeying him for the first time that day. He would go to the street tennis courts, meet Dan Taiichi...and...

He would decide when he got there.

"Echizen, you say?"  
"Uhn, Echizen. I feel a little bad that we're following him like this..."  
"But I'm sure you'd agree that it's...fun."  
"...I'm bringing a camera."  
"Hoh. This would make for very interesting data, indeed. Very interesting. Where did you say he was heading?"

"Echizen? Are you sure?"  
"It's a SOLO date, nyaa!"  
"Oh no, a solo date. This is bad, this is really bad. More serious than I thought. This means he would invest even more of his feelings into the relationship than what's safe at this point! What if he gets his heart broken again? He's still only twelve, he won't be able to cope...He won't be able to concentrate on the next upcoming match! He'd need counselling! He - "

"DATE-O?!"  
" Don't disappoint me. I will be waiting."  
"You...you'd be waiting?"  
"Oh definitely. It's a solo date. Solo. I'd be waiting."  
"...ma...matte, senpai! Don't hang up - SENPAI!"

"It's Echizen. We're sure he's going on a solo date. It seems serious. As this concerns the tennis team on the whole, I think you should come along with us to investigate."  
_Click.  
_"...He hung up..."

And so there they were, nearly the whole tennis team from Seishun Gakuen Jr. High, hot on the tail of their youngest member. Even affable and occasionally pyrokinetic Kawamura would have been present if he could leave the shop. If there was anything Seigaku could boast of that no other team possessed, it was sheer senpai concern. Everyone wanted a piece of Echizen Ryoma and his mysterious date.

There was only one tiny, tiny problem.

They lost Echizen.

"MOMO!" Kikumaru was shaking his fists for the second time that day. His wide eyes flashed azure fire "You were supposed to be following Ochibi while I call everyone! How can you lose him!"

Momoshiro winced at his senior's outburst. Eiji-senpai could be so loud. Yeah okay, it was his fault for getting distracted by this wonderful stall selling a whole assortment of heavenly-smelling snacks and not noticing that Echizen had disappeared around a street corner. By the time he had realised and near gone cardiac at trying to sight the elusive freshman, the rest of the guys showed up and Eiji-senpai flew into Kikumaru-rage.

"Maa, maa, Eiji..." Oishi soothed as he tried to prevent a homicidal Kikumaru from killing the team's smash-specialist. He still had a lovestruck, might-get-his-heart-crushed Echizen to worry about without having to clean up Momo's remains from the street. This was getting to be a very trying day.

"Oh come on, Eiji-senpai," Momo tried to explain anyway, holding up his hands placatingly. "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to get distracted!"

"By food, of all things."

Momo whipped around, violet eyes glaring at the latest speaker - a rather sullen-looking Kaidoh who seemed like he'd rather be elsewhere or anywhere but here. "You have a problem with me, Mamushi?!"

"If you have a problem with me!" Kaidoh hissed in retaliation. He was clad in jogging gear, obviously having been in the midst of a punishing run when he had been coerced into this group outing. The black tank-top was still sweat-dampened and it clung to his sculpted torso as he folded his arms across his chest huffily. "I should be running, not doing this - "

"You have a problem with this, Kaidoh-kun?"

Even Momo shut up at the sheer weight in the deep, smooth baritone, but he had the secret pleasure of watching Kaidoh squirm as the Mamushi found himself blinking up at strangely-gleaming spectacles.

Inui-senpai, already too tall and his presence too overwhelming, pressed his point further with just the slightest leaning down towards Kaidoh, invading his space and sending a slow burn crawling over Kaidoh's cheeks. "Hmm? Kaidoh?"

"N...no, Inui-senpai..." Kaidoh shook his head meekly.

Oishi made a mental note to thank Inui for helping out with crowd control, although there was a part of him that was highly suspicious of Inui's intentions. It wasn't like the data-specialist to be so...helpful unless it served his purposes. At any rate, Oishi had his hands full with a Kikumaru still seething over the lost opportunity to tease the hell out of Echizen and his Date.

"... so don't you think you should be here?"

Oishi broke away from a wriggling Kikumaru to shoot a puzzled glance in Fuji's direction. Looking a picture of honey-brown and cerulean sweetness, Fuji was talking smoothly and softly into his phone. Oishi could feel his eyebrows raising. The tennis tensai had been unusually quiet the whole way, only smiling enigmatically and charmingly whenever someone tried to engage him in conversation. No wait...not the whole way. Only after Inui had put away his mobile phone after failing to get their Buchou to tag along for this excursion.

"Saa, think about it. Under such circumstances, it is most advisable that you are present, do you not agree? _Tezuka_?" Fuji was saying, lips curled into a fairly...disturbingly persuasive smile that seemed to be able to work its usual spell despite his not being face-to-face with the Seigaku captain.

"Tezuka?" Kikumaru snapped out of his childish sulking to exclaim.

A soft click and Fuji calmly kept his phone. When he turned to the several pairs of widened eyes staring at him, he appeared only mildly surprised by the attention on him. "He'd show up in two hours' time," he said as nonchalantly as if he was announcing what he just had for breakfast.

From somewhere behind Oishi, Inui suddenly appeared. "Two hours?" he said slowly, pushing up his spectacles. He appeared to be thinking hard as usual. "The excursion would most possibly be over in two hours."

Fuji flashed him a smile meant to look breezy but it was betrayed by the gleam in his sharp cerulean eyes. "Exactly."

The situation descended into sad chaos after that. Momo made the mistake of grousing about the failed excursion and everyone was suddenly reminded that they were stuck on some street without Echizen in sight and with possibly no hope of catching the boy with his date, with no food and they were all getting terribly hungry as well. And of course, all the blame went round until it settled on Momo. Again.

"Oh, SEIGAKU!"

Six pairs of different-coloured eyes swivelled around at that loud exclamation. They recognised the two newcomers instantly, which was none too difficult considering that one of them sported crimson bangs and the other with that longish raven-violet locks that cast a near-feminine edge to his face. Fudoumine's Kamio Akira and Ibu Shinji.

"What are all you guys up to?" Kamio demanded loudly. Next to him, Ibu's head was tilted as if he was pondering that question too.

The Seigaku regulars glanced at each other sheepishly without answering. Who was going to own up that they were spying on the baby of their team?

"...it seems weird to have Seigaku wandering the streets like this...maybe they're up to no good...they have so much time to spend on such wasteful activities...but of course...they don't have to worry about tennis like we do...they're lucky, naa...but why are they all here...maybe it's a conspiracy...do we need so many people in a conspiracy...do we..."

"SHINJI!"

"Sorry."

By now, all of the Seigaku regulars were sporting identical stupefied expressions at having witnessed the strange exchange between very spaced-out Ibu and a rather long-suffering Kamio.

"Anyway," Kamio spoke up before his companion had a chance to again. "We just saw your ichi-nen brat, Echizen. And - "

"YOU DID?!"

The redhead jumped, a tad alarmed by the vigorous response from the rival school.

"WHERE?!"

Eyeing the Seigaku members with no small amount of trepidation like they had all gone loopy, Kamio pointed behind him. "Street tennis courts."

Nervously, he bounced his weight from his right leg to the left, then back to the right again. Then he rocked himself on the balls of both feet. Back and forth and back and forth. If there were any curious gazes on him, they would have seen a small, insignificant boy worked up into a state of feverish anxiety. They might think him to be up to some childish venture, and frankly, he wasn't quite in the mood to care.

All his energies and thoughts were concentrated on one single image - that of Echizen Ryoma, the coolest junior-high player ever and a freshman like him! When Akutsu-senpai had left, it had crushed him like nothing else ever had...but in Akutsu-senpai's place, he had been given Echizen-kun. In this way, he could keep trying because he knew there was someone there for him to catch up to. Besides, and this was what made his heart swell, Echizen-kun might look kinda grumpy, but he was really so nice! He blushed when he remembered how safe it felt like to be near Echizen-kun.

So, he told Echizen-kun exactly how he felt...at least, he thought it was how he felt. A crush. Although...he wasn't too sure what a crush was. He had very nervously stammered his questions to Sengoku-senpai, who seemed to be the most well-versed in such things...although he hadn't seen Sengoku-senpai been successful in his love life. Sengoku-senpai had been so embarrassing about it too. Dan blushed even more fiercely when he recalled the line of teasing and interrogating that senpai had subjected him to. Did he like that 'someone'? Did he want to be near that 'someone'? Did his insides turn to jelly when he thought of that 'someone'? Did he want to ki - kis -

Anyway, he had said yes to all of them...except the last one. That was too embarrassing! Dan's hand flew to his mouth. He decided resolutely that he could have a crush on Echizen-kun, without...without any kiss-u! Kissing was as gross as strawberry milk!

A more worrying thought suddenly came to his mind and Dan stopped his fidgeting. How would Echizen-kun react to his letter? Would he be angry? Would he...hate him? Dan's jumbled thoughts didn't get very far when he suddenly heard footsteps behind him.

Heart leaping, he spun around on his heels, the words 'Echizen-kun!' on his tongue. Then, he faltered.

Three ugly and fierce faces grinned down at him.

"Look what we have here, Sasabe." One of them sneered. "Another little squirt."

* * *

fin  
June 2004l


	3. Middle School Years Chapter 02

****

Date-O! Arc - 02

Pairings : Dan x Echizen, (beginnings of InuiKai, FujiTez, Golden Pair, ShinKam)  
**Rating :** PG  
**Warnings : **Shounen-ai, fluff, tenipuri humour, TWT  
**Disclaimer :** Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi

****

Spoilers : Episode 71 in particular****

Summary : Echizen arrives at the date to find that Sasabe (yes, the bozo from episode 1) has beaten him to it. And now that they've finally caught up with Echizen, the Seigaku senpais start betting on who Echizen's mysterious Date is! (my gawd, they ARE nosy!) The latest Inui Juice guest stars. o

****

A/N : Finally, some kind of progress in Dan and Echizen's puppy love. And more madness from the Seigaku senpais. LOL. They never learn. shakes head Oh, and the Inui Juice. Gotta love it. It's the only thing that keeps the insanity in check, LOL.

* * *

  
"Look what we have here, Sasabe. Another little squirt."

Brown eyes widened in bewilderment, Dan had a rather weird thought about those faces looking like leprechauns, when a large hand fisted into his jersey and hauled him upwards. He flailed, gasping, but then his feet were off the ground and he could only dangle from that hard grip, staring into mocking eyes and hearing raucous chortling in his ears.

Dan's eyes widened even further. What...was going on?! His gaze darted from his captor - a squinty-eyed fellow - then to the other two youths. One was large and ponderous-looking, and the third was a mean-looking fellow with mousy-brown hair. Dan swallowed again. His heart was starting to pound so hard he could hear the blood rushing in his ears. He opened his mouth to speak but all that came out was a squeak as he was roughly shaken.

The one called Sasabe, the brown-haired one, loomed up from behind his captor. He had the half-bored, half-sneering expression of a bully who had ran out of victims. Dan swallowed fearfully. They were all so big, he wouldn't stand a chance against even half of Sasabe! But...but maybe they were like Akutsu-senpai, who looked scary but wasn't all that scary. That thought was dashed when he remembered that Sasabe wasn't a Yamabuki senpai.

"What..." he managed through the layers of trepidation choking his throat. "What do you want?"

For his efforts, Dan was shaken again then released so suddenly he crumpled to the ground, so hard he thought he could hear his bones rattling around in his body. He vaguely heard the bullies cackling at each other.

"Hey, he looks like that kid with the cap, Sasabe!"

Dan looked up quickly. The kid with the cap...Echizen-kun!

"Who knows? And who cares anyway. Even if it's that stupid little prick, I'll just whup his ass and send him crying back to his mommy."

For a moment, Dan froze. Then his body moved with an accord of its own.

* * *

Sharp amber eyes watched the whole scene with unnatural composure. He had reached the street tennis courts and see not Dan Taiichi, but a bunch of nasty-looking teenaged thugs. He had been severely annoyed at first to endure all that agonising over whether to turn up for the dat - meeting, and to arrive without seeing the person who had put him through all that grief.

Then, the brutes had shifted and he saw for just a fleeting glimpse, the unmistakable figure of Dan Taiichi trapped in the middle of them. The Yamabuki freshman had looked even tinier when surrounded by the much bigger high-school teens. Oh, he had been surprised for just a second, then alarmed when he saw one of them drag Dan up by the jersey. It was especially startling to see Dan getting swung like a rag doll.

Before he knew it, he had approached the court. He was near enough to hear all the raucous the bullies were making, and also close enough to hear the panic in Dan's raised voice. Then he had paused in his tracks.

And he watched quietly, not making a further move. It wasn't hesitation that stayed his feet, nor fear because he had yet to face anyone or any situation that could instil true fear in him. He only knew that had it been a stranger in that predicament, he wouldn't have bothered at all. It was simply none of his business. Well, Dan wasn't a stranger.

So he watched, just to see what would happen next.

By this time, he had just about recognised the brown-haired one as the hapless fellow with whom he had several run-ins already. His name...Sa-something. It was also becoming pretty clear that three bullies were just extremely juvenile and immature idiots who had nothing better to do than to pick on a boy a third of their sizes. But their blustering facades sure had Dan convinced, for the little freshman looked about to burst into tears. It got worse when Dan was then flung to the ground in a move that looked painful for someone as slight as he was.

Then, something interesting happened.

Echizen's amber gaze took on a kind of near-surprise that looked almost unnatural, for few things surprised him. The Sa-something guy said something. Not just any something, because Echizen then saw the change in expression on Dan's pale face. It went from fear to shock, then to something that possibly even more than anger. It was pretty disturbing seeing such unlikely fury on the boy's babyish features, but then, Echizen had to keep himself from sniggering out loud when Dan suddenly stood up, headed right over to the offender -

And unleashed a kick right at the shin.

__

Ouch. Echizen had to feel for the poor guy. That must have hurt, from the look of sheer surprised agony on the youth's face, even though Dan was still so mad he didn't seem to have even noticed where his shoe-clad foot had landed. So, Echizen gave in and grinned. Nicely done, that kick. And not bad for a tiny freshman who cried so often and so easily.

Not bad at all.

* * *

It felt like walking two pets, really. Two boisterous pets, noisy and so energetic they might have been on crack and Oishi wouldn't be too surprised. Well, worried maybe, but not surprised.

"We can wait till they're all lovey-dovey with each other, then we jump out and surprise them!"  
"What do you think the date looks like, nya?! Must be really cute! Like ochibi!"  
"Uwaa! Do you think they'd KISS?!"   
"His date must be from school, nya! That means we've seen her BEFORE! Cool!"  
"I know! We'd wait till they KISS, then we jump out and surprise them!"  
"Imagine ochibi's face when he sees us! And knows that we also KNOW his date, nya!"

Grinning so hard that their teeth and eyes were all sparkling, Momo and Kikumaru turned to each other and flashed thumbs-up signs. "NICE!" they crowed at the same time.

Walking, or jogging rather, just several steps behind those two hyperactive and totally pumped-up teens, Oishi shook his head in matronly resignation.

"Ninety-five percent." Inui's deep baritone announced abruptly.

Oishi was about to go 'huh', until the tall, bespectacled senior continued, his tone turning wry. "The chances of those two engaging in a conversation that starts off on two totally different tangents, and still reach an agreement at the end - is ninety-five percent."

"True, true," Fuji piped up, agreeing pleasantly. "Inui, what about the percentage of reluctant dates showing up anyway?"

The data-specialist cleared his throat. "Depending on who the 'reluctant dates' are, naturally, but you can safely assume a hundred-percentage for that."

Fuji chuckled delicately behind a hand. "That's good to know, Inui."

Times like these, Oishi wasn't sure which frayed his nerves more - the Kikumaru-Momo pair, or the Inui-Fuji team. He found an unexpected ally in Kaidoh however, who had fallen into step with him and who had also turned an interesting shade of pink during the course of the conversation between Inui and Fuji.

Every other thought flew from Oishi's mind when a pair of arms suddenly looped around his neck and a wild red head bumped into his.

"Nya, Oishi! We're here!" Kikumaru cackled in his delight.

All of them were gathered at the foot of the long stairway that would lead to where the street tennis courts were. Kikumaru and Momo were of course, the most excited, and if not for Inui standing before them, blocking their way, they would have charged all the way up already.

"Inui!" Kikumaru demanded as he tried to round the tall senior and failed. "Why are we STOPPING?!"

Very serenely, Inui Sadaharu only pushed up his spectacles unhurriedly. "Before we continue," he announced. "I have a small request."

"INUII!"

The bespectacled boy continued blithely. "Let's take bets on who the Date is."

You could hear the rest of the regulars' jaws hitting the ground.

* * *

Dan stood, feet firmly planted on the ground, hands curled into fists by his sides. Ooh, he was SO mad! How dare those nasty boys say such mean things about Echizen-kun?! They could say anything bad about anybody, but never about people that he knew! And especially NOT Echizen-kun! He got so angry he went up and kicked one of them, the one called Sasabe. He was sure he had kicked really hard too! His foot still hurt.

A little voice in his mind reminded him that he was in even bigger trouble now, but he was still too pumped up to really listen to it.

His fists remained curled even when a large, meaty hand clamped around his arm and dragged him up to a snarling face. The grip around his arm tightened painfully and he winced, unable to stop himself from gasping.

"Why you little prick!" Another hand was raised.

Dan squeezed his eyes shut for the blow.

"I'll get you for - OWW!"

Huh? Eyes snapping open, Dan blinked dazedly as he was suddenly released for the second time and he sank to the ground. The brute who was about to hit him was bent over, hands clutching at his head and moaning loudly. HUH? Huge brown eyes rounded in bewilderment. This time, he didn't do anything! Then, he noticed the tennis ball on the ground.

"Sorry." A very familiar voice said quietly, the smirk painfully apparent in the tone, if not in the words.

Dan looked up, heart leaping. His face brightened like a beacon when he saw who it was. Clad in the Seigaku regular's attire, Echizen Ryoma approached unhurriedly, his gait measured, weighted, and so self-possessed it would have drawn every gaze to him, and that was what happened. Dan and the three bullies were all staring at Echizen, although with differing expressions, of course.

Beneath his trademark cap and rakish bangs, amber eyes narrowed just that slightly as they regarded the situation. Lips curled into a smile that might have been pleasant if not for the edge to it. Tennis racquet slung over one shoulder, Echizen began bouncing the frame casually against his shoulder. "My hand must have slipped." He continued his taunting apology.

Shifty Eyes, who looked to be near-ballistic at being confronted by such a cocky kid, made a move as if to advance towards the freshman, but was stopped by a hand at his chest. It was Sasabe, and he was staring at Echizen as if he had just seen a ghost.

"What's the matter?" The Seigaku freshman tilted his head in mock bewilderment. "Weren't you just talking about wanting to send me crying back to my mommy?"

Dan watched frantically, not quite knowing what was going on, but wanting to know, yet not quite knowing how to know. That meanie looked like he knew Echizen! Had something bad happened between them before?! He stared dismally at Echizen, feeling even more helpless when the Seigaku freshman actually grinned back up at the other boy, seemingly totally oblivious to what the bigger boy could do to his jaw.

He couldn't believe what happened next.

Sasabe, and his minions in tow, fled.

* * *

"...The ones who didn't guess right, would have to, of course, drink this."

Widened pairs of eyes stared into the canteen, each bearing an expression more horrified than the last.

The fiery crimson viscous liquid bubbled defiantly back at them, frothing at the surface with threat of death, and each bubble popping with deliberate slowness as if sounding their death knells one...by...one.

__

Supremo Deluxe Date-O Delight.

"...no...way..." someone murmured faintly.

Actually it looked like the molten lava from the pits of Juice hell. And the way Inui was leering at them, he might as well been the devil's incarnate and nobody would contest it.

"Saa, Inui, why don't we get two choices instead?" From somewhere above the chorus of gagging noises, Fuji's voice rang out cheerily.

"Yeah!" Kikumaru bounced back to life again, a determined gleam in his azure eyes. "TWO choices! I don't believe I can't get it right, nya!"

"Hmm..." Inui pondered, and next to him, a green-looking Oishi fuku-Buchou looked ready to pull rank to get those two choices. "All right. Two choices each."

And for a brief moment, the thoughts of the penalty Juice were forgotten as the names of the nominees were tossed among the Seigaku regulars.

* * *

Having left the obviously mental Seigaku regulars to their dubious activities, they continued their way to the video arcade just around the corner.

Kamio didn't actually noticed that he was walking alone, until he had reached the traffic junction, turned his head to scan for onrushing vehicles, and realised quite abruptly, that he was alone.

Shinji was gone.

For a good five seconds, Kamio stared open-mouthed at the spot beside him where Shinji was supposed to be. Then he snapped out it, shock turning to alarm as he spun this way and that. No Shinji. Shit! Where was that guy?!

In a righteous panic, Kamio began retracing his steps. This was no small matter - losing Shinji - because it HAD happened before! And happened all too often. His mind began throwing up all those memories of similar accidents. The most recent one of them all was the excursion. They were on this club visit to this prestigious sports academy and it was time to return to school. The whole team had checked and checked to make sure all their belongings were with them, before going back on the bus...only to realise back at school that all their belongings were there but there was no Shinji. It later turned out that while leaving, Shinji had been distracted by a particularly striking sports bag one of the academy students was wielding and had stayed behind to play a match - with the bag as the stakes.

Fudoumine had taken the bus all the way back to the academy to pick up one very pleased Shinji and his new bag.

It was to no small amount of relief then, when he finally spotted his friend just a few metres ahead. Kamio quickly caught up, grabbing a pale arm and tugging. "Shinji!" he said crossly when the boy turned, delicate features displaying only mild surprise to see Kamio. "What the heck do you think you're doing here?!"

Deep violet eyes blinked back at him, and Kamio sighed explosively. It sure looked like it was back to telepathy again. The thing about Shinji was that he was either non-vocal or he was too vocal. Right now, he sure wasn't going to talk, so Kamio would have to read his expressions, which were surprisingly animated.

"Yeah, so," Kamio said resignedly. "What is it this time?" _What's the latest distraction?_

Those violet eyes rolled towards the direction in which he had been walking in, then back at Kamio. _There._

Kamio made a face. "There? But that's where we came from! The street tennis courts!"

Pale-pink lips pursed. _I want to go there._

He opened his mouth to protest, but all that came out was a peeved "Fine! Whatever." Kamio rolled his eyes when Shinji's vague gaze visibly brightened.

As they had headed back to the courts, it became clearer and clearer what exactly had snagged Shinji's attention. The voices drifting in the air, reaching their ears in loud boisterousness, definitely belonged to -

Kamio could feel his eyebrows shooting up all the way to his hairline when he saw the Seigaku regulars - the same six loopy people he had crossed paths with not so long ago - squatting on the ground, faces drawn tight in grim concentration, fervent discussion rippling between them. It all looked pretty suspicious to Kamio, and he certainly did feel suspicious. Just imagine a bunch of guys huddled in a circle, holding onto pieces of paper, eyes darting furtively to the innocuous-looking canteen standing in the centre of group, then back at one another.

As he and Shinji got nearer, he managed to catch bits and pieces of...names? Female names interspersed between snatches of dialogue!

"...Sakuno, it should be Sakuno, definitely! Who else can it be?"  
"But there's Tomo-chan...and what about that blonde-haired one with the green eyes? And the one with the red curls? What if it isn't Sakuno?"  
"Sou, sou, remember the Juice!"  
"There's Yui-chan."  
"Who the hell is Yui-chan?!"  
"...there's also Shiba-san."  
"No WAY!"  
"...Tachibana's imouto, too, don't forget her..."  
"Ryuza - "  
"DON'T say it."As the secretive and highly suspicious conversation neared its end, another round of scribbling erupted as the Seigaku guys began scrawling on their scraps of paper.

Kamio got even more suspicious.

Shinji traipsed up to them and squatted next to Momoshiro, eyes blinking curiously as he stared down at the piece of paper on which the Seigaku sophomore was furiously writing.

"DONE!" The redhead, Kikumaru, announced gleefully as he straightened and stretched like a roused feline. He waved his piece of paper like it was a flag.

The rest of the Seigaku guys followed suit, in their own respective quirky ways, checking what they had written on their papers, nodding in satisfaction, glancing at each other surreptitiously as if daring each other to peep at their answers, Momoshiro yowling when he suddenly found Shinji in his face, the data player called Inui taking each scrap of paper and keeping them in the small pack he carried and jotting down in his notebook at the same time.

"Kamio-san?" The Vice-Captain Oishi said in surprise when he finally noticed the additional presence of Kamio. "Ibu-san?" And Shinji.

Kamio shrugged uncomfortably, deciding not to say anything too much in case he provoked another outburst from these unpredictable people. But he needn't have worried. Clearly, the Seigaku regulars had other things on their minds, and Kamio remembered how uptight they were about their ichi-nen brat. At this moment, even the easily-worried Oishi had forgotten about him as they waited for Inui to finish his phone call.

"...Yes, Inui here. As you might know, we have already followed Echizen to the street tennis courts where he's meeting his date. The bets have been laid. What's left is just your expert opinion on this - "

The click was so loud even Kamio heard it, and Inui kept his mobile phone. "He hung up again." The data specialist said dryly.

Kamio preferred not to speculate on who it was on the receiving end of Inui's harassment.

Then, the data man continued speaking, his tone that of finality. "Let's go."

It was disturbing to say the least. The Seigaku regulars staring up at the stairway, all sporting frowns of grim finality like the Moment of Dawning existed just at the top of those steps. But Kamio's interest was very piqued now.

And when the Seigaku nuts began trooping up the steps, he followed, Shinji right behind him.

This was all getting a bit surreal.

* * *

Echizen rolled his eyes at how those bullies just took off. What's this? He didn't even get to play a single stroke against them! Okay, so he did rather carelessly played a shot at them when his hand had, uh, slipped, but still, this was getting to be quite a wasted trip. Trip...? No, wasn't it a meeting...

Then, all too late, he suddenly remembered why he was here at the street tennis courts in the first place! Dan Taiichi!

And the letter.

Feeling cold, Echizen turned just in time to see Dan Taiichi bound right up to him. He took an involuntary step backwards, but it hardly deterred the excited Yamabuki freshman. Hands curled into fists in a gesture that Echizen had recognised by now as triumph, Dan was beaming so brightly it almost hurt Echizen's eyes. It was amazing how the boy could have gone through a bout of roughing-up by the bullies and still remained so full of...energy afterward.

"Echizen-kun!" Dan exclaimed in a high, silvery laugh. "You SAVED me!"

Huuuuh?! That made Echizen feel like he was a white knight of sorts. It also made him want to dive into the nearest hole. "Dan," he began awkwardly, holding up his hands reflexively as if to fend off imaginary advances. "I didn't...I didn't save you."

"You did! You did!" Dan protested, chocolate-brown eyes dancing in open admiration. "They could have EATEN me alive!"

Echizen highly doubted that, but he didn't say so. Instead, he wondered what to say to this strange boy. He remembered the Dan Taiichi that had stood up to the boys in all indignant fury and for that moment, his presence could have been twice of all the three bullies added together. Dan was...braver than what could have been expected of his tiny frame and girlish appearance, but it seemed Dan was unaware of that. His mind also, reluctantly so, recalled that Dan had retaliated on account of...well, on account of him.

The stupid things people do! Echizen pulled his cap lower to hopefully hide the slow burn on his cheeks. "Dan," he said, not able to quite meet the earnest gaze of the other boy until the annoying blush on his face had faded.

"YES?"

"You saved yourself."

"I...did?"

Echizen had to look up at the uncertainty wobbling in Dan's words. "Yeah," he replied gruffly. "Next time, do it for yourself."

Dan's face was blank for the time it took for the words to sink in. Then, his fluffy head tilted and he smiled, a smile perhaps a little more serious and a little more mature than any he had ever displayed before. This new smile made him look...well...more pleasant in a way. "Hai desu!" he nodded, brown eyes warm as they regarded Echizen. Then, his face scrunched up again. "BUT, I still won't let anyone say anything bad about Echizen-kun EVER!"

Echizen resisted the long-suffering sigh worming its way up his throat.

"I'm...so glad you came, Echizen-kun..."

Amber eyes widened sharply. Echizen felt his throat going a little dry now. The letter, the letter. How could he keep forgetting the real purpose of this meeting?! Maybe a part of his unconscious mind just didn't want to deal with it. And he found that even his conscious mind couldn't deal with this. It was just beyond him. When he thought about things like crushes - and only when he had to - he was always reminded of scary people stalking him. He didn't really care if Dan was a boy, or a girl for that matter. He just...didn't know what to do with things like these! Why couldn't the whole world be just about tennis? That would make life so much easier!

"I'm just...happy you came, Echizen-kun. That's enough for me."

Echizen's mind was fast getting taxed beyond its limits. He couldn't keep up with his own confused thoughts, and certainly couldn't keep up with Dan's thoughts. First Dan sounded like he'd be crushed if Echizen didn't reciprocate his crush or something, but in the end, all Echizen had to do was show up and it was enough?! Echizen shook his head in bewilderment. He didn't even recoil when Dan shyly moved nearer and...

Wrapped his arms around Echizen's neck like he was a teddy bear.

It must have been mental over-exertion, Echizen later rationalised, because for that very confusing moment, he felt himself raising his own arms hesitantly, very, very painfully awkwardly, and laying them against the slender body at his chest.

* * *

At the top of the stairway that overlooked the street tennis courts and its two young occupants, the air was still. Too still, perhaps, for a situation involving jaws dropped for the second time, eyes widened into impossibly huge saucers for the umpteenth time, the kind of blank shock that was frozen on half a dozen young male faces.

It was really too still.

And finally, one voice did break that silence.

"You've got to be FREAKIN' KIDDING ME!"

* * *

fin  
June 2004


	4. Middle School Years Chapter 03

****

**************Date-O! Date-O! Arc - Middle School Years - **03

**Pairings :** Echizen x Dan, InuiKai (FujiTez, Golden Pair)  
**Rating :** PG  
**Warnings : **Shounen-ai, fluff, mild teenage angst, TWT  
**Disclaimer :** Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi. Not me.

**Spoilers :** General spoilers for anything to do with Dan and Echizen

**Summary : **Faced with a bunch of over-concerned senpai and a Dan Taiichi who's possibly even more infatuated than ever, Echizen finally loses his temper. But of course, the Seigaku senpai will stand by their Ochibi anyway in his blossoming puppy love. Who said growing up is easy?

**A/N :** Less craziness here than in the previous chapter, LOL. But more shounen-ai and a tad of angst. ;; Wish I could do more boyxboy action but well...darn the fact they're still chibis. .

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"You've got to be FREAKIN' KIDDING ME!"

The echo of that horribly loud exclamation was still ringing in everyone's ears as they stared at the street tennis courts. Echizen's Date...was...

"Dan Taciihi," Inui pronounced calmly, adjusting his glasses. This was...rather out of his own calculations. He had already run through all possible candidates for the position of the Date, but he had overlooked a variable that would have thrown a wrench into all his calculations.

Gender. Well...damn.

A slow glance at the rest of his teammates told him that he certainly was not alone in getting both his guesses wrong. Kikumaru looked severely pained that he could not even guess right with two choices, Oishi was still looking green, Momoshiro was still frozen in his shock, Kamio (when did Kamio get there?) looked even more convinced that Seigaku was steeped in dark secrets, Ibu (now when did Ibu get there as well?) had the most peculiarly thoughtful expression on his face and Kaidoh...whose cheeks were still stained a pretty red ever since he witnessed the embrace between Echizen and his Date.

Inui nodded to himself and turned to the Kaidoh Page in his notebook. He jotted down his latest discovery about the immensely fascinating sophomore. _Kaidoh is easily scandalised._ He thought for a moment, before nodding again and adding another assumption. _Kaidoh is likely a virgin._

"Ahh...lucky."

Even Inui looked up in surprise at that unusual declaration from Fuji when everyone else was probably wondering if they would surely die from the latest Juice. Fuji however, was wearing his trademark nondescript smile on his face, except maybe it looked edged with something close to smugness.

Hoh...? Inui reached into his bag and took out the strips of papers. He found Fuji's easily and opened it up.

Behind the nearly-obscure glasses that Inui wore, impenetrable eyes widened.

"Lucky WHAT, Fujiko?!" Kikumaru was demanding petulantly, even falling back on using his pet name for Fuji in his peevishness. "We have to drink that disgusting Juice, nya! I'd never survive it!"

"Exactly!" Momo echoed, just as dismayed. "We'd DIE! And I'm only THIRTEEN!"

"Oh shut up, Momoshiro!" Kamio was saying. "What's this Juice business all about? What's it got to do with Echizen and his...his..."

"Boyfriend." Ibu finished neatly.

When Inui had the time later, he might call on Kikumaru and Momoshiro's insult of his Juice, but for now, he was trying to wrap his mind around the two names that Fuji had neatly written on his betting slip.

Dan Taiichi.

And Dan Taiichi.

Lips thinning into a grim line, Inui spared a glance of trepidation at the sweet-looking prodigy of Seigaku. Never, never underestimate the powers of a genius, Inui reminded himself.

As if he had heard the mental note in Inui's brain, Fuji turned and smiled at him. "So, Inui? What about the penalty for the others?"

It took a moment before the rest of the boys got it. But they did, eventually.

"Others?" Oishi repeated incredulously. "You mean you..."

Inui held up Fuji's betting slip so the 'others' could see for themselves Fuji's hundred-percent accuracy in his guesses. If not for the fact that Inui himself had gotten both of his own choices wrong, he might have enjoyed watching the looks of disbelief on the faces of his teammates.

"That means Fuji-senpai DON'T GET TO DRINK THE DEATH POTION AND WE DO?!"

Inui cringed inwardly at Momoshiro's howling. It was so loud, and it was getting so insulting too. Inui had been blending his Juice for hours to get that nice red colour and the right viscosity. He shut his notebook primly. "It's just a single shot, Momoshiro. One glass."

Before Momoshiro could decide whether to be please about that fact, Fuji beat him to it. "Double, Inui." The prodigy raised two fingers as if to illustrate his point. "Two glasses."

The realisation dawned on Inui the same moment Fuji finished his statement of finality.

"I got both choices right. So, it's double for all the losers...right, Inui?"

Never underestimate the mental processes of a genius either.

A dejected Kaidoh summed it best for them all. "Fuji-senpai...is scary."

Common breaks were usually the most raucous period in the school. There were large bunches and crowds of freshmen who were forever chattering and giggling and yelling like they had too much energy to spare, the sophomores looking on enviously and unable to participate in the tireless fun in the face of tougher and tougher exams, and the seniors of course, the most stressed lot and the ones felt the greatest burden of schooling life.

The common break for the members of the Seigaku tennis team could easily be the noisiest in the whole of the congested canteen of hungry students. The members had been careful to pick a corner that was away from the rest of the students to avoid any possible interruption, but it certainly hadn't prevented curious glances cast in their direction.

Not even all of them from the regulars were there. Specifically, there were only those of them who had went on the little adventure of tailing Echizen. Kawamura was still in the dark for they couldn't trust him to hold his tongue if he was holding a racquet, and he saw Echizen. As for informing Tezuka-Buchou, it was a no-brainer there. He wouldn't have cared less if all of the tennis members were dating, lest to say only Echizen. The discovery of the true identity of the unknown Date had turned out to be the Event of the Year as far as they were concerned, cemented no less by the malevolent Inui Juice innocently named_ Supremo Deluxe Date-O Delight_.

It took all of them, excluding a decidedly sadistic Fuji, a week to recover and stop balking every time they saw the colour red.

Oishi was shaking his head wearily. "Getting involved in a relationship at this point is the worst idea," he said heavily. "A cross-school relationship too. Shuttling between schools, meeting after training, and having to hide it from everyone. How will Echizen be able to concentrate on tennis?"

"Oishi!" Kikumaru rounded on his doubles partner. "You're missing the POINT! And the point IS - Ochibi - "

"Is dating - " Fuji rejoined smoothly.

"A BOY!" Momoshiro finished in a near-yell. He would have continued too, if not for Kikumaru's hands clapping over his mouth to stifle the stream of exclamations bubbling from his throat in case the whole school knew about it next.

Honey-brown brows rose as Fuji looked mildly surprised. "I was going to say Dan Taiichi."

Now Kikumaru looked indignant that Fuji had totally missed the point too.

From beside Kikumaru, Oishi suddenly piped up. By this time, his forehead had creased into a deep frown. "Do you think I should talk to Yamabuki about this? After all, this concerns our two youngest players and maybe we should sit down and discuss it." He stopped, a little alarmed, when Fuji began to chuckle.

The tennis prodigy subsided to an amused smile. "Oishi, you sound like you're going to marry Echizen off to Yamabuki."

The Vice-Captain turned an unusual shade of red which got even deeper when Kikumaru collapsed chortling onto his shoulder. "But...shouldn't we do anything?" Oishi tried to continue despite Kikumaru's giggling even harder.

"We can sit him down and force it outta him," muttered a peeved Momo, who obviously still hadn't gotten over the whole thing.

"We can follow him on another date."

Everyone turned to stare Fuji for actually suggesting that.

"We shouldn't do anything."

Everyone - meaning even Kikumaru - shut up at that. Surprised gazes swung around to the speaker. It was Kaidoh who had spoken, so far the quietest one from the start of the little adventure to this heated discussion. He was staring down into his drink, eyes obscured by a fall of night-dark bangs, but his discomfort was visible at the sudden limelight on him.

"And why not?" Inui countered smoothly, his deep, sultry baritone challenging.

The rest of the boys just stared at the weird exchange, although none too surprised. These days, every time Kaidoh opened his mouth, Inui would be sure to come up with some rejoinder like he was baiting the younger boy into more response.

Kaidoh had quickly looked up at the tone in his Inui-senpai. However, his usually sharp and almost-fierce green eyes were widened in uncertainty as he then gazed around the group. "It's not our right to interfere," he said at length, the same uncertainty lending brusqueness to his tone.

Now that was really out-of-character. Even Oishi seemed startled to hear that from Kaidoh. They all knew that Kaidoh valued customs, traditions, rules and strictures far more than the average schoolboy. And if then, it was not quite possible for Kaidoh to be so nonchalant after seeing...well...seen the obviously more than close relationship between Echizen and Dan. If anyone was expected to throw a fit, it was Kaidoh.

"When we saw them..." Kaidoh began, and hesitated again. His fingers were clenched so tightly around his drink that his knuckles were white. He looked like he was struggling with very, very conflicting emotions.

"Yeah, what is it, Mamushi?" Momo interrupted impatiently. His disbelief over Echizen's keeping such a big secret from him had in turn shortened his temper considerably.

"Don't call me that!" Kaidoh snapped in reflexive retaliation more than anything else. Then he looked down into his drink for a moment longer, cheeks gradually taking on a tinge of pink that was starting to manifest more and more often these days, before suddenly looking up at the rest of them. His face was set in boyish seriousness.

"When we saw them, it all...looked real! Echizen...I've never seen him with that look on his face. And that look...is real too. So - So...we...shouldn't do anything!"

In that awkwardly gruff, brusquely inadequate Kaidoh way, the surprisingly compassionate sophomore said what was at the back of everyone's mind and what nobody but he thought to say it. And just like that, the tension was all but gone.

There was a blink-and-you-miss-it smile that touched the corners of Inui's lips, as he flipped open his omni-present notebook to the page that he had been scribbling in more often than ever lately.

Oishi broke into a rare, burden-free grin. "I see, Kaidoh."

A bewildered Kaidoh blinked at that unusual reaction from his Vice-Captain. Before he could come up with any verbal reaction however, the rest of the table erupted in noisy discussion.

"I am SO gonna give Echizen hell for not telling me!" Momo declared, cracking his knuckles like he was prepared to pummel an imaginary Echizen.

"Count me in!" Kikumaru echoed, nodding his wild red head grimly. "We'll make him pay next time we go for burgers, nyaa!"

"Me too," Fuji chimed. "And next time, I'll get Tezuka along."

"Buchou?! In a fast-food outlet?!"

"Interesting image, isn't it?"

"I don't believe you can do it, nya! Tezuka'd never do it!"

Inui cleared his throat. "We can take another round of bets on - " he didn't get very far in his suggestion.

"HELL NO!"

Gritting his teeth so tightly he could feel the pulse in his jaw, Echizen began bouncing the ball with his left hand. Then he tossed it, and brought his racquet slamming into it with his right arm. He could feel the speed, strength and direction he channelled into the ball, and he could even feel the ball obeying his whims, going exactly where he wanted it to go, spinning exactly how he wanted it to spin. The ball was round, a symbol of infinite possibilities, but the racquet was in his hand, and he controlled the ball.

Now, people.

Echizen bounced another ball with his left hand in an exact copy of the serve he had unleashed just now, his right arm tensed.

People were a different problem altogether.

He slammed his racquet into the ball hard, before righting himself and watching as the ball lanced into the opposite court, met the ground with a resounding thump, then spinning upwards into oblivion. His feared Twist Serve. In a rather weird way, he supposed he was like his own Twist Serve. People find it hard to anticipate him, and if they could choose, they'd probably not want to have to deal with him.

So how come Dan Taiichi didn't think that way?

Echizen didn't think he'd ever met someone who was so...enthusiastic about him. It seemed Dan was excited about everything - no matter how trivial or insignificant - that he did. Just the other day, Echizen explained a ridiculously simple stroke to Dan and the Yamabuki freshman reacted like Echizen had kissed him or something.

Amber eyes rounded as the thought sank in. Pulling his cap down in one rough motion, Echizen tried not to blush. His mind was horribly errant these days, thinking things that usually he would never have thought of before.

"Hey, Echizen!" The unmistakably buoyant voice of Momo-senpai hollered across the courts. "Wanna have a game or something?"

Echizen looked up, momentarily snapped out of reverie. He could see that over on the next court, Momo-senpai and Oishi-senpai were rallying. Eiji-senpai had bounced over to them and joined Oishi in his side of the court. Doubles, huh. Echizen hesitated for a second. For some strange reason, his three seniors were looking at him with that sort of weird expectancy like they knew something he didn't. And when it came to his terribly inquisitive seniors, Echizen would much prefer to stay away.

"Come on, Echizen," Oishi fuku-Buchou coaxed. He had held up an arm to obviously deter Kikumaru from bounding right over and dragging Echizen over to them. "It'd be good practice."

Oishi-senpai always made everything sound so rationalised that Echizen couldn't even think of refusing. Nodding shortly, he gripped his racquet tighter and headed over to his seniors. Momo-senpai seemed unusually relieved, and Echizen reasoned to himself that Momo-senpai was probably just worried about taking on the Golden Pair by himself.

The weirdness started no sooner than the end of the first game. The Golden Pair had taken the first game in characteristic charismatic efficiency; Oishi subtly controlling the game before forcing a gap and Kikumaru finishing the points off in acrobatic glee.

Now Echizen was at the net, Momo-senpai preparing to serve behind him. He found himself squaring off with both Oishi and Eiji-senpai. His rusty mind tried to work out this formation. Double net-play? But it didn't make sense! Momo-senpai had yet to serve!

"Echizen," Oishi-senpai said abruptly. His deep-green eyes were solemn. "It takes two to play doubles."

Huh? Echizen blinked in confusion. Of...course it took two to play doubles.

Next to Oishi-senpai, Eiji-senpai wagged a finger at Echizen like he was admonishing a small child. "Be nice to your boyf - partner, nya!"

HUH?!

Then Mom-senpai served and Echizen stared in disbelief as the ball went completely wide. He spun on his heels to glare at his partner for that horrendous serve. To his bewilderment, Momo-senpai not only seemed totally unconcerned about his fluffed serve, but he was also staring at Echizen with unusual...concern.

"Not a kid anymore, ne, Echizen?" Momo-senpai grinned somewhat awkwardly, but genuinely.

Echizen just shook his head in silence. He didn't know how to respond to his seniors' strange behaviour. He didn't think it was possible but his seniors could actually be more freaky than they already were every time they were up to their senpai ways.

"Let's continue the game."

Echizen very nearly demanded what was going on when he saw Inui-senpai and Fuji-senpai join their court - and their game. Kaidoh-senpai had taken his place in the umpire's chair. So, instead of the Golden Pair against the Momo-Echizen pair, it was suddenly Golden-Pair-Fuji versus Momo-Echizen-Inui. The most suspicious part was that nobody seemed surprised at the sudden shift in the game dynamics, except for Echizen.

Momo-senpai served again, and Echizen was suddenly jostling for space at the net with Inui-senpai. This time, Eiji-senpai had fallen back to take the serve, while Fuji-senpai parked himself at the net. The return-serve sailed into Echizen's court and he whipped it back sharply, forcing Fuji-senpai into a full stretch as the prodigy volleyed back and out of reach of Inui-senpai.

"Not bad, Fuji-senpai, " Echizen said with grudging admiration. That had been a good volley.

Fuji smiled back at him, eyes glinting behind his fall of bangs. "Oh no, Echizen. You deserve the credit for getting there before me, Echizen."

What...the hell was going on?! Echizen could feel himself tensing up as he regarded Fuji-senpai with suspicion-narrowed eyes. It seemed as if his seniors knew something they shouldn't. And what was with all these cryptic one-liners?!

The last straw came when Inui-senpai joined in the fun. "Echizen. You have far exceeded your data."

Echizen knew Inui-senpai certainly wasn't talking about tennis, but too bad. He wasn't hanging around to find out what all his seniors meant. Lowering his racquet, Echizen turned away from the others. "I've practised enough. I'm going home."

He turned to leave, pretending not to hear the surprise from his seniors, especially not the soft exclamations of concern.

If anything, Echizen knew he was in no mood or shape to deal with anything else but the solo walk home. It was a long walk without Momo-senpai's bicycle, but he welcomed the idea of being alone. For an abrupt moment, he felt a sharp sense of déjà vu as his legs continued striding despite the attempts by some schoolmates to talk to him as he left the school. Wasn't it just a month or so ago when he had been alone as well and enjoying the solitude of a quiet walk home when he was interrupted?

A frown creased Echizen's young features. How had things changed so suddenly in the space of weeks?! No...things hadn't changed as much as they had gotten worse. He didn't know what he and Dan were. They've met up several more times since the Da - meeting - and each time it had been about tennis. Did that make them kinda like teammates or something? Comrades? Then he remembered how Dan always liked to end their meetings by subjecting Echizen to two-second hugs.

Echizen knew they lasted two-seconds because he had counted while he had stood stiffly every time it happened, waiting until the too-warm snuggling against his neck and cheek pulled away and he could breathe again.

Did hugging make them a couple?!

Echizen was sure he turned a little green at that thought.

"Echizen-kun! Echizen-kun!"

Amber eyes flew wide. _No..._he groaned inwardly. Not today, especially not now. His patience had been quite tested by his bunch of seniors.

Dan Taiichi popped up anyway, in that increasingly irritating fashion of his. His longish bangs were hanging rakishly all over his head and into brown eyes that shone like stars. The only things that weren't the norm was that his green band was missing around his forehead and he was clad in the all-white Yamabuki uniform.

"Echizen-kun!" Dan gushed warmly as he curled his hands into fists. "I came to do my homework with you! I heard that you're incredibly good at English! SO, I've decided to ask you to tutor me! I'm sure that my grades will improve a lot if you - "

"No," Echizen interrupted flatly, already rounding his infatuated admirer. Whether it was tennis or schoolwork, he was not in the mood to do anything with Dan. He knew himself, and he knew that while he preferred to use silence or snarkiness to counter situations, whichever suited the occasion, he did have a temper which could be unpleasant.

"But!" Dan persisted, chasing after Echizen, even breaking into a jog so he could keep up with Echizen's greater strides. "I came all this way to ask you to tutor me, Echizen-kun! Please, please, please! I really need your help!"

Echizen squeezed his eyes shut, his feet slowing not a whit as he tried to tune out everything. Weeks and weeks of self-questioning and his increasingly distracted state of mind were making themselves felt in the tightening thread of his control.

"Echizen-kun..." Dan's small hands curled into the sleeve of Echizen's jacket.

And before he knew it, Echizen was whipping around, yanking his arm away in one hard motion. "I said NO!" he snarled.

He could feel Dan losing balance, his smaller frame almost jerked off his feet by Echizen's unexpected lashing-out. Echizen felt a wave of dismay as the Yamabuki freshman stumbled backward with a cry and fell to the ground in an awkward heap. Yet Echizen still stood frozen to the spot as he stared down at the mass of limbs and paling face that was Dan.

"You..." Echizen said in a croak.

Dan looked up quickly, smile already in place. "Daijiobu!" he said, dismissing his fall with a laugh. "I'm fine! See?" He made as if to get to his feet, but no sooner had he shifted himself, he sank back into that heap again with a stifled groan.

Shit. Echizen dropped his bag to the ground and knelt by the other boy. At first he was just unsure of how to proceed from there on, but then his years of tennis kicked in and it was damage control first. Gingerly he laid his hands on Dan's uniform-clad leg. He felt the boy's startled gaze on him.

"I'm checking your injury," Echizen said as levelly as he could.

Carefully, he slid a hand under the calf, before getting a good hold on the track-shoe that Dan wore, and sliding it off Dan's foot. All the while, Dan had to muffle his whimpers of pain with a fist at his mouth. Echizen forced himself to focus on the revealed foot. Without the track-shoe, it looked small and vulnerable, and the swelling at the ankle was all too obvious.

"It's not your fault, Echizen-kun," Dan said firmly and quickly, correctly guessing the nature of Echizen's silence as amber eyes surveyed the injured foot. "I fell when I was chasing the bus. And I guess the sprain got worse when I fell again just - oh no! I mean, it really ISN'T your fault, Echizen-kun! I mean, I shouldn't have been so clumsy myself..." he trailed off awkwardly.

Dan's words, if anything, made Echizen feel worse. Silently and not meeting the other boy's eyes, Echizen rummaged through his bag with one hand, groping for the familiar feel of the...yes, he found it. Pulling out the ankle-guard, he showed it to Dan - just a silent affirmation of what he was going to do to ease the sprain - before proceeding to slide the guard over Dan's foot. The guard was very tight, of course, and Echizen had to tug and pull painfully before Dan's heel managed to slide into place and lock the ankle-guard into place.

It wasn't until he was done that Echizen realised that Dan hadn't made a sound during the whole process. He looked up in surprise and saw that tears of discomfort were obvious in Dan's eyes but they held fast.

"Don't worry, Echizen-kun!" Dan grinned rather weakly back at him, enthusiasm apparently not dimming in the slightest. "I'm not gonna cry! Oh, you did such a good job! My ankle doesn't hurt as much as before!" he laid his foot flat on the ground and tested it.

Echizen's attention was already fixed elsewhere. Getting to his feet, he began picking up the scattered contents of Dan's bag when it fell open on the ground. He gathered the several school exercise books, the textbooks and the miscellaneous stuff like the stationery-case, and packed them back into the bag.

"Oh, Echizen-kun! I can get my things by myself! You don't need to do it for me!"

His hands paused when they encountered what looked to be a file. It had a clear plastic cover and its contents were all bared to amber eyes. What were especially striking were the English test-paper and the failing mark of forty-percent decorating its cover in glaring crimson.

"I...I really do need your help in English, Echizen-kun!" Dan sounded sheepish behind him.

Echizen turned, his shoulders feeling suddenly very heavy. He stared down at Dan's hopeful, upturned face. For the first time, Echizen saw the fatigue on the boy's features, the strain in brown eyes, the smile that was still bright but edged with weariness. And yes, Echizen could make the connection between Dan's frequent rushed trips to Seigaku just to meet him before travelling all the way back home, and the physical toll it was taking as well as how it had affected his grades.

Extending his arms, Echizen managed to help lift Dan to his feet. The Yamabuki freshman leaned heavily into him, almost curling into his chest. Echizen firmly but gently shifted until Dan was no longer leaning onto him like that. He slung Dan's bag around his shoulders.

"Go home, Dan," Echizen said quietly.

Brown eyes rounded in distress. "But why? I still need you to tutor me! And - "

"You need to get a tuition teacher for your grades. Or ask your teacher for help. You'd get nothing coming here," Echizen rebuked in that same quiet, firm, and stern manner. "Stop wasting your time on this."

"It's not a waste of my time!" Dan protested, more weakly this time, his voice shaking.

"It's a waste of mine," Echizen said coldly. "Go home. I'd walk you to the bus-stop."

Dan's mouth opened and closed for several moments, each time looking more and more miserable. His hand, clutching on the strap his bag, was so tightly fisted his knuckles gleamed white. "I..." he began, swallowing several times, then tried again. "I don't want Echizen-kun to walk me to the bus-stop."

Echizen blinked in surprise. This was the first time he had been refused by Dan. Before he could respond however, another voice beat him to it.

"Then maybe I can cycle you to the bus-stop, ne?"

Echizen thought his eyes would pop out of their sockets when none other than Momo-senpai suddenly came up to them on his bicycle. Between them, Dan was glancing back and forth in confusion. Echizen shoved his own protests down his throat when over Dan's head, Momo-senpai flashed him that utterly-patronising and yet utterly-comforting senpai grin.

"Come ON, Dan Taiichi," Momo gestured animatedly as he cajoled the Yamabuki freshman. "Look at the sprained ankle of yours. What if you worsen the injury? You don't expect Echizen to CARRY you, do you?"

It worked. Dan's eyes widened and he shook his head violently. "N...no! But I...I don't want - "

"You can always visit Seigaku another time, Dan-kun," Momo interrupted kindly. His large violet eyes danced with a curious mixture of both concern and mischief.

Dan darted a nervous glance at a silent Echizen. "But...Echizen-kun said...I'm wasting...wasting..."

"Who cares what Echizen says?" Momo said airily, waving a hand to illustrate his disregard for the prickly Echizen Ryoma and earning himself a glare from said freshman. "You do what you think is worth your time, ne, Dan-kun?"

Echizen wanted to scream when he saw Dan grinning at Momo in obvious agreement. What was this?! Everyone around him was conspiring against him! His OWN seniors helping...helping the outsider!

Turning back to Echizen in renewed enthusiasm, Dan nodded his head resolutely. "I'll come back another day, Echizen-kun! And when I do, it won't be a waste of my time, or yours either, Echizen-kun!"

In vexed silence, Echizen shrugged gruffly as he watched Dan carefully easing himself onto the back of Momo-senpai's bicycle. Then, Momo-senpai was off, Dan perched behind him, messy bangs fluttering in the wind as he waved and laughed and his figure grew smaller and smaller into the distance.

Without looking, Echizen knew the rest of his really, really, nosy seniors were gathered behind him, watching the whole scene like they were enjoying a movie. Between that annoying little voice suddenly reminding him that this was the first time since the Date that Dan hadn't given him that two-second hug, and the fact that when he turned on his heels and saw that his seniors were REALLY gathered behind him, Echizen felt sure he had reached his shock-quota for the week.

Oishi, Kikumaru, Fuji, Kaidoh and Inui senpai gazed back at him in varying degrees of glee and concern and interest and curiosity.

So, Echizen remembered his seniors acting weird ever since the Date and realised with a wryness of sort, that of COURSE, the only logical explanation was that somehow his bunch of seniors already knew the...thing between he and Dan. What next occurred to Echizen was how his seniors were taking the whole thing. Momo-senpai seemed okay with it, but then again, Momo-senpai was okay with many things. What about the rest of his seniors?

As if answering his question, Fuji-senpai stepped forward, his smile less enigmatic and warmer than usual. "Here, Echizen."

Echizen took the coloured, glossy object from Fuji and stared quietly down at it. He recognised the setting. Street tennis courts. It was that day of the Date-O. In the picture, he was caught in Dan's embrace. No...rather, Dan was embracing him, and he was...kinda hugging back in a way. Echizen felt his cheeks growing hot when he saw quite clearly his own arms twined around Dan's shoulders.

He looked up, ready to berate his seniors for actually TAILING him on that Date! But he didn't even get to speak.

"GANBATTE NE, ECHIZEN RYOMA!"

And he found he still couldn't speak.

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fin

**more author's ramblings : **This isn't the end! ;; Does it seem like the end? Actually it IS kinda like, the end of this phase of the puppy love. The next time Dan comes to Seigaku will be of course, somewhat taken from the anime timeline where Dan comes to visit Seigaku with his coach. By then, Dan would have been more grown-up (he shot up to Echizen's size! o.o) and Echizen will be less resistant to Dan...hopefully. Seigaku senpais are still themselves - nosy and warm and loving, yes, LOL.


	5. Middle School Years Chapter 04

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**************Date-O! Date-O! Arc - Middle School Years - **04

**Pairings :** Dan x Echizen, InuiKai (FujiTez, Golden Pair)  
**Rating :** PG/PG-13  
**Warnings : **Shounen-ai, fluff, mild teenage angst, TWT  
**Disclaimer :** Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi. Not me.

**Spoilers :** Episode 89 in particular

**Summary : **During practice, Seigaku gets a new visitor from Yamabuki. Echizen finds himself squaring off with his 'copy', and teaches his double a thing or two about tennis. He just didn't expect to get lessons in first kisses in return!

**A/N :** It's definitely a longer chapter than the earlier parts. ;; It's a very shounen-ai (and very Wind Chijmes) take on episode 89, lol, some coverage of the challenge-match between Echizen and Dan. And oh yes, the first kiss between the chibis. It's about time, I feel. And yes, feedback is appreciated, naturally! o

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The Kantou Tournament was not so very far off. While most of the tennis members did try valiantly to carry on their usual activities and maintain their usual moods, the tension in the air was all too palpable. It radiated off Oishi Vice-Captain in waves; it showed in every extra twitch that Kikumaru did unconsciously, it manifested in the overflowing pages of notes in Inui's notebook; it notched Momoshiro's flaming temperament up several levels higher and it was replied in Kaidoh's verbal snaps back at Momoshiro. Only Kawamura seemed unaffected, although his composure might be attributed to his belief, with racquet firmly in hand of course, that he could take over the world.

Tezuka was as strict as ever, possibly even more so now that his doctor had confirmed that his shoulder was not fit to play. His consequent decisions had been quick, decisive and clandestine, known to only the specific team regulars whom he was targeting. Yet the decisions he had made were soon known to the rest of the team. Oishi Vice-Captain began taking over Captain duties and Fuji, who had been barely affected by the impending Kantou, grew quieter, played more seriously, and smiled a little less when he saw Tezuka.

And Echizen Ryoma...

Pursing his lips, the tennis wonderboy began fidgeting as Oishi droned on about the various practice formats. Oh, he was listening, yes, but his hands were also itching to play already. Outwardly, his boyishly stern face displayed nary a trace of the fire that raged through his veins. The Kantou was the stepping-stone to the Nationals. His stepping-stone.

He was free from injuries and for the past weeks, his waking hours were spent breathing tennis, with the occasional hiccups in the form of academic assignments. At night when he lay in bed, he would dream tennis, Karupin under the covers with him, a warm puddle of fur that strangely felt less like fur and more like hair when he got to that drowsy limbo just before slumber.

"...And today, we shall have a new team member to practise with us."

Echizen looked up in surprise. New member? He wasn't alone in his startlement. Around him, the sophomores, and especially the seniors were all glancing around in bewilderment.

"Member?" Momo-senpai looked like he was facing a particularly difficult maths question.

Only the freshmen trio - Katsuo, Kachirou and Horio - looked like they knew what was going on judging from their secretive grins and the particularly smug smirk on Horio's face. Echizen shot them a suspicious look. These days, he was getting pretty high-strung about the kind of conspiracies that seemed to be woven around him at his most unguarded.

Oishi smiled back at all of them, before turning to the court gates. Now his smile took on a more business-like edge. "Come on in," he called out.

There was a tangible thickening of expectation as the gates were pushed open and a figure stepped through. Then a flurry of exclamations rose around Echizen.

"Echizen! Isn't that you?!"  
"Do you have a twin, Echizen?!"  
"Uwaaa, he looks so much like you, Echizen!"  
"You sure you don't have a twin?!"

"No!" Echizen heard himself muttering in reply. Yet he almost found himself questioning his own eyes as he stared at the boy walking towards them.

It was like looking at himself.

Except, Echizen knew just who the boy was. He could feel his insides tightening.

The boy bowed deeply and respectfully in a move that was already familiar. Then he straightened and out came a smile that shone as brightly as sunbeams. "Hi everyone! Dan Taiichi from Yamabuki desu!"

The big question was : What on earth was Dan Taichii doing in Seigaku?!

Warily, Echizen maintained his distance, careful to concentrate on his warm-up with Fuji-senpai. It was so hard, but Echizen even managed to hold that look of ice-cold composure on his face when Oishi-senpai called the club members to gather and once again, they were lined up in neat rows listening to their Vice-Captain. Echizen sneaked a peek at Dan from the corner of his eye.

Their heights were almost exact now, with Echizen being just a fraction of an inch taller still. Their sizes were almost the same, again with Echizen just a shade more compact. Honestly, they might have been mirror images. The only real differences, other than the obvious disparities in the hair and eye colouring under the identical caps, were the two boyish faces. One was etched with sharp features, the amber eyes the most piercing of them. The other was much softer; all fawn eyes, button nose and dainty mouth. And when both boys lifted their heads, the striking contrast in expressions made another statement.

Echizen Ryoma kept his emotions shackled under the mask of stone he wore so well. Dan Taiichi let himself run the whole gamut of his moods without the slightest restraint. You couldn't have two junior high freshmen more different from each other. Seeing Dan only made Echizen more acutely aware of that fact.

Seeing Dan also brought a fresh wave of old emotions and thoughts resurfacing to the fore of his mind.

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I'll come back another day, Echizen-kun!

The corners of Echizen's lips twitched in what might have been a scowl, or an almost-smile, it was hard to tell. He certainly hadn't forgotten that promise. Apparently, Dan hadn't either!

"Oishi-senpai, Dan-kun wants to challenge Echizen!"

Echizen's head jerked up in surprise, and as he did, he met Dan's eyes for the first time in weeks. The Yamabuki freshman was several places away; Echizen had been careful to keep several seniors between he and Dan. He hadn't been kidding when he told Dan the last time to stay away.

Suddenly, as he stared into widened brown eyes and a face tinged pink with both embarrassment and enthusiasm, Echizen thought that those few weeks seemed like just several minutes.

"But..." Dan was saying, almost stuttering in his bashfulness. "Is it...is it okay with Echizen-kun?"

Echizen could feel everyone's eyes on him. Heck, he could even feel the amusement in the looks sent his direction. Oh yes, his bunch of over-inquisitive seniors must be really enjoying this. Lifting his chin and looking away from the half-hopeful, half-hesitant light in Dan's gaze, Echizen shrugged.

"Whatever."

"The growth spurt might be attributed to the three bottles of milk that he had been told to drink on a daily basis. Echizen only drinks two, maybe that is a factor as to why Dan has caught up so fast. I was right. The milk does work."

"They really look alike now, nya..."

"Quite possibly, Yamabuki players are also training very hard. It's incredible. These schools aren't in the semis but the way they've geared up for future tournaments is incredible. We really can't let out guards down."

"Mm. Especially now that Tezuka is injured."

"He came BACK like he said! I knew that little Dan boy would live up to my expectations!"

"Tch. He'd only be a distraction."

"Oi! Don't you have a heart, Mamushi?!"

"Say that again!"

"Mamushi!"

"How dare - !!"

The rest of them ignored the ensuing bickering between Momo and Kaidoh. It seemed these days those two sophomore regulars were never satisfied if they didn't argue at least twice each practice.

"Hey look at that."

Echizen and Dan were already in the court, readying themselves for their match. The freshman trio was buzzing around Dan in unusual friendliness like maybe they were already acquainted from before.

The regulars watched, noting the unusual seriousness in Dan Taiichi's every move. Even his signature sugar-high level of energy seemed just a tinge more subdued that usual as he prepared to face up to Echizen. All of them, from the composed Inui to a boisterous Momoshiro, would be lying if they said they didn't feel just the tiniest shred of sympathy. It was one thing admiring and being infatuated with Echizen off-court, and another having to face him on-court.

All this made up for a pretty fascinating match-up between the Yamabuki kiddo and their own freshman ochibi.

"Ne, Momo, after we're done with our matches, remember to fill us in on the delicious details!"

Expressive violet eyes widened as the sophomore turned to his fellow teammates. "Matches?! All of you?!"

"Yeaah! Except you!"

Two young faces, one bearing an expression decidedly austere and the other animated in equal degrees, regarded each other above the net.

"Thank you for agreeing, Echizen-kun!" Dan gushed excitedly, his brown eyes shining beneath his shaggy bangs. This was like a dream come true for him, to be able to play Echizen Ryoma.

The Echizen Ryoma of the freshman wonder fame. For months dating back to the day Yamabuki had lost to Seigaku and also the day Akutsu-senpai had left the Yamabuki tennis club, Echizen-kun had been his example. He was the one always-bright, always-present reminder of the many steps and many obstacles that he had to climb to get there in the end. If Echizen-kun could do it, he could too. That was his motto.

Of course, it didn't hurt that he also admired Echizen-kun so much outside of tennis. At this thought, Dan had to really try very hard to stop himself from blushing. It had only been a couple of weeks since he had last seen Echizen-kun, but even then, he had quickly spotted the changes in the Seigaku freshman. Echizen's amber gaze had grown steelier, his gait even more confident, his shoulders drawn taut and proud with conviction. Even his hair...had grown longer. Dan wondered briefly, ducking his head to cover his embarrassment, if Echizen-kun would freak out that Dan noticed such trivial things about him.

"Hey..." Echizen said suddenly.

Startled out of his reverie, Dan looked up just in time to see Echizen-kun flash him a smirk that briefly looked more like a grin. Then the smile-smirk faded into a more serious countenance. "I won't go easy on you," he said quietly.

Dan nodded eagerly. "Of course, Echizen-kun!" And he meant it too. He was also so grateful that Echizen-kun was even speaking to him at all, considering that...that Echizen-kun had been so fierce the last time they had spoken. He was so, so glad that Echizen-kun didn't seem to particularly mind his showing up at Seigaku so abruptly.

Echizen was already moving to the baseline, an unyielding figure silhouetted against the red and green of the court and the blue of the sky.

Trying to calm his wildly-beating heart and the uncontrollable shaking of his hands, Dan took his place at his side of the court. He clenched the ball in his hand, then nodded to himself with resolution.

It took a while for a sulky Momo to get over the fact that he had once again missed out on practice matches with the other regulars. For some very unfathomable reason, he was forever clueless when it came to such matters. Now left very alone, Momo settled down to watching the Dan-Echizen match anyway. Once having gotten over his initial sullenness, Momo was actually pretty cool with the idea of just being a spectator.

And as he watched Dan prepare to serve, his interest level totally spiked upwards. "Hey hey...That stance..."

That stance, from the tilt of the body, to the bounce of the ball and to the final lift and angle of the raised racquet.

Twist Serve!

The serve clearly took the Seigaku freshman by surprise. Side-stepping so the ball flew past him with a whistle, Echizen then straightened himself. Turning his head, he cast an expressionless eye on the ball that had escaped him in a move that had been ironically, his own special move. Then he turned back and moved to take the second Dan serve.

Momo smiled inwardly. Heehh...so Yamabuki's Dan Taiichi wasn't just another pushover.

The second Twist Serve, Echizen didn't take it again. The Seigaku freshmen trio, who was also watching the match excitedly, was beside themselves with delight as they cheered Dan on. Clearly the Twist Serve had been what they and Dan Taiichi had been practising the past few days, and the apparent fact that it did work by the way it eluded Echizen, was enough to send them all into ecstasy.

The Seigaku regulars would know better of course. There was a fine line between Echizen unable to take a shot and Echizen not taking a shot. You could see it once you've grown familiar with the freshman's little tics and idiosyncrasies. The quiet look on Echizen's face right now, coupled with the stern gathering of his brows and his earlier deliberate avoidance of the imitated twist serve that Dan had hit said a lot about what he thought about his own moves being copied so blatantly.

He didn't think very much of it at all.

Leaning into the fence, Momo had to grin, although rather sympathetically, when he saw the lift in Echizen's head as he moved into place for the third serve. The game was over. The score stood at 30-0 in Dan's favour and Momo had no doubt that those would be the only two points that Dan would take off Echizen.

"Brutal, Echizen, so brutal naa..." Momo murmured wryly to himself.

The third Twist Serve; Echizen moving so neatly and swiftly he was a blur, then slamming his racquet into the ball.

Return ace.

Dan stood frozen in disbelief as his serve was pounded back astonishingly hard and fast and completely leaving him stunned. Wha...aa...at?! Wasn't it supposed to evade Echizen?

The game degenerated into sorry tatters of pounding strokes, merciless shots, pinpoint drops, and all their replies in the form of missed returns, wild slashes with the racquet, harsh gasps and pants from Dan's end of the court. Echizen, wielding his racquet as easily and unhurriedly like he might have been just hitting against the practise wall, was barely exerted. Yet the piercing speed, strength and mastery of his game remained keen as he punished his opponent.

Desperately, Dan arced his racquet at yet another blur of a shot, and missed. Again. Straightening himself, heart pumping so hard he thought it might punch its way through his ribcage, Dan fought to catch his breath. He also had to fight the rising tide of panic threatening to drown his mind. He didn't get it at all! He had spent several weeks under Echizen's own tutelage, sharpening his strokes, honing his shots until even Banji-sensei said he had improved tremendously. Then, the secret practices with Echizen had stopped but by then Dan's tennis had already stabilised enough for him to join the training at his own club.

So...why...

Dan gasped as another Twist Serve spun beyond him. Across the court, Echizen lowered his racquet with that business-like composure. Misery churned in Dan's belly. He wasn't stupid enough to show it, but Echizen's apathy had hurt too. There had been no understanding, no sympathy, no hint of any softening, and certainly not the slightest shred of 'going easy' on Dan at all.

Another shot past him, totally too fast for Dan to catch.

Dan didn't quite feel anything after that. If something inside him could curl and die, it probably did. He moved mechanically. He played out the rest of his service game with a body that didn't quite feel like his own; his limbs so leaden and the racquet a deadweight in his hand.

He did run for the ball, half-heartedly, knowing he'd be passed again. And he was right. It seemed everything and everyone was always going pass him, and then going beyond him to leave him behind. Why...was he always left behind? Tennis was like that. Akutsu-senpai was like that...now that he remembered, Akutsu-senpai's leaving had been very hard to bear.

Now, even Echizen-kun was like that. And in some ways, that it was Echizen-kun hurt even more. He had spent days and hours watching Echizen-kun, taking down notes of each and every shot drawn from his racquet, the attire that Echizen-kun wore, the racquet, the cap that he tried on with so much care to make sure it fitted his head like it did Echizen's.

He had so wanted to become someone that Echizen-kun wouldn't be ashamed of, and if he was very lucky, someone Echizen could be proud of. It probably hurt the most with Echizen because Dan had believed he could come close when all that he achieved was even more distance between the two of them.

So all that he did...was for nought.

It was Echizen's last service game and also the last game for the match that Dan would lost anyway.

Dan didn't budge an inch from where he stood as the Twist Serve went past him. He didn't care now. He just wanted to go home.

"Hey!"

So cocooned by his own jumble of thoughts, Dan thought he was imaging things, until he recognised that raised voice as Echizen-kun's. He felt sure he wouldn't be able to look Echizen-kun in the eye, but Echizen's tone would brook no resistance on Dan's part so he looked up, heartbeat going wild again with dread.

Standing right at the net with his racquet slung across one shoulder, Echizen...

Dan swallowed the lump in his throat.

Echizen was furious. By all means, all that was visible of that anger was just a narrowing of brows, but Echizen rarely displayed emotion and when he did, that emotion when translated was in actuality, many times that of what it hinted at.

Lifting the racquet off his shoulder, Echizen pointed the tip of it in Dan's direction. "Hey," he said again, tone brittle with ill-disguised scorn. "That was really uncool."

Dan flinched at that harshness from a boy he had long looked up to and admired from every possible angle. Yet something in Echizen's piercing amber eyes refused to allow Dan escape.

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I'll come back another day, Echizen-kun! And when I do, it won't be a waste of my time, or yours either, Echizen-kun!

His own words now rung in his brain, growing louder and louder until he thought he was going to get swallowed up in them. Yes, those were his own words! His own promises which he made on his own accord. They were also echoes of what he had declared to Akutsu-senpai that he would become a strong player one day. And they were what he had promised even himself.

If he gave up now, then everything he had done would be a waste. But if he didn't stop trying...then maybe...maybe something might happen.

"Do you want to play?"

Dan stared wordlessly up at Echizen, seeing things he had seen before but never understood as much as he did now. Echizen's strength that came from countless and countless hours of practice, his steeliness from wrestling - using a twelve-year-old's body - with a junior-high tennis circuit that demanded even too much from boys years older than he.

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Do you want to play? Do you want to give up? Do you understand what it takes?

Dan gripped his racquet harder in his hands. "Yes!" he declared.

Generous mouth curving into a wide smile, Momo whistled in appreciation as he watched the latest turn in the game. All right, it wasn't quite a turn. Although he was firmly on Dan's side, Momo wouldn't quite bet his lunch on Dan turning the tide and winning the match.

No, it was a turn in mood, a shift in the atmosphere. And it was exciting, watching the birth of a future great player. It might have been hard to tell at first, just from the last several points of the last game of the match, yet it was all there.

Dan, with new fire in his steps and rekindled enthusiasm in his eyes, chased down every single ball that went his way and especially when it didn't go his way. In his frantic running, there was raw speed and lightness that skimmed the courts like the wind. As he twisted his body in reaction to each difficult shot, there was startling agility. His earlier copies of Echizen-brand shots were a shadow of the real thing, but through them, he had also displayed remarkable aptitude for learning. And at the end of it all, all of these already admirable attributes for a tennis player paled in comparison to what really unlocked his potential.

It was his newly-discovered fire.

Momo appreciated this the most of all. He had seen, with great interest, the brief exchange between the two freshmen and he had guessed, accurately, that Echizen had helped kickstart Dan's motivation, but at the same time - and probably unknown to both boys at this point in time - Echizen had benefited too. For someone as gifted and high-achieving as Echizen, it was something, watching someone's despondence reconstructed into a drive to succeed.

When Dan had lost as expected, and both freshmen approached the net for the goodwill handshake, it made Momo grin even harder to hear the normally gruff Echizen respond with uncharacteristic approval and near-warmth :

"The beginning was real bad...But the end was somewhat good."

Humming softly under his breath so no one would accidentally hear him, Echizen began buttoning up his navy-blue school shirt. Tennis practice was over and he was going home. His fingers stilled a little as he recalled the tennis match with Dan. Okay, he wouldn't call it a tennis match. Not really, with it being so one-sided it might as well been a walk in the park for Echizen.

Then again...he remembered how Dan had leapt for the last shot, missed it, lost the match, and still on hands and knees, looked surprised that the match had ended. Even Echizen had to admit that he was surprised at the spirit Dan had suddenly shown after his initial rather...lame attempts. It was a good comeback.

Thoughtfully, Echizen finished the last button and turned. He nearly jumped out of his skin.

Dan Taiichi was standing at the doorway to the clubroom, already showered and clad in his white Yamabuki school uniform.

For a rather strange and awkward moment, they just stood there like that. Echizen still frozen mid-action in slinging his bag over his shoulder; Dan parked at the doorway, face lowered bashfully, hands twisted into a tight clasp.

Echizen moved first, settling the bag against his shoulder, trying to even out his breathing. Back on the tennis court, he had been able to get all his wildly-fluctuating thoughts and moods under control, and even at one point, forgot that it was Dan Taiichi on the court with him. It had been easy even, forgetting everything and just remembering his racquet and his tennis.

The here and now were another matter. Behind Dan, the setting sunlight was streaming into the clubroom in opulent washes of gold and red, casting a similarly brilliant outline around Dan. It had the effect of highlighting his presence even more acutely to Echizen's attention.

Dan lifted his head and took a tentative step into the clubroom. Then he smiled. "Echizen-kun!"

It must have been the trick of light that somehow softened Dan's face into a pattern of delicate features nestled between plays of brightness and shadow. A rather inappropriate and odd thought then occurred to Echizen. Dan still looked like a girl no matter how much he had grown, but now there was a definite tinge of something very 'boy' to his near-feminine looks. It could be the set of his jaw, or maybe even the restrained buoyancy that was more becoming than the puppy-like enthusiasm of the past.

"Are you still angry with me, Echizen-kun?"

Echizen blinked, just a bit startled to find Dan standing not more than a foot away. In fact, he was standing so close Echizen could smell the Seigaku communal shampoo in his freshly-washed hair.

"No," Echizen said shortly. Truthfully too. Okay yes, he had been severely irritated back on the courts, but that was because of tennis, and that was already in the past, as far as Echizen was concerned. He didn't bear grudges like that.

"Oh good," Dan sounded immensely relieved. He grinned again, still warmly but very shyly this time.

Echizen shrugged. Whatever, you know. Playing a match with Dan, Dan showing up at Seigaku again, like he said he would...Stiffening, Echizen suddenly recalled the circumstances of the last meeting he had with Dan.

"How..." Echizen said, pausing in discomfort, before continuing again. "How is your ankle?"

"Oh!" A radiant smile blossomed on Dan's face. He gestured airily as if to dismiss Echizen's concern. "Just a mild sprained ankle. Nothing much. You don't have to worry, Echizen-kun! Oh!" Twisting around, he began fishing in his bag for something, before snagging it and drawing it out. "Here! Thank you so much!"

The Seigaku freshman stared at the ankle-guarded so carefully presented to him on two palms. "It's...okay. You can keep it."

"Oh! Echizen-kun is giving it to me?"

"Well, it's just an ankle-g..."

"This will be my first gift from Echizen-kun!"

Echizen raised a wry eyebrow. He didn't he'd ever get to know anyone else who could so happily accept an ankle-guard as a gift. That thought was funny, and before Echizen could censor his own reactions, he smiled.

"Echizen-kun looks much nicer when he smiles!"

Instantly, said nice smile dissipated as an embarrassed frown took its place. Echizen hoped his cheeks weren't as red as they felt. Smiling was just smiling! He didn't smile to look nice! But it was quite hard to stay angry, especially when Dan had his hand covering his mouth in an effort to stifle his grinning, brown eyes dancing at Echizen from above that hand.

However, that sunniness sobered quickly into uncharacteristic seriousness. "Echizen-kun..." Dan took his hand away, and that was when the startling pink staining his cheeks could be seen.

Okay...the pounding of his heart was starting to become familiar again. Echizen took a deep breath. Every time Dan got serious like that, it was a scary time because Echizen never knew how to react to it.

"Do you...do you really think you've wasted your time on me?"

Well...not a difficult question. The answer just needed a whole lot more truthfulness from Echizen than expected. "No," he said finally, grudgingly, practically overturning his own words that he had uttered at their last meeting. But...the change was there. Dan's growing up was real.

"Do you..."

Hoh? More than one question?

"Do...doyoulikeme?"

...What?!

"Has...hasEchizen-kunkissedbefore?"

Echizen's amber eyes grew so big they could pop out of their sockets and he didn't think he'd care. KISS? Where did that come from?! No wait, backtrack, backtrack...did Dan just asked if Echizen liked him? Liked...what kinda 'like'?! No...did Dan mean that kinda 'like'?!

Brain shutting down, Echizen shook his head and gruffly side-stepped Dan. "I don't know what you're talking about." Then he strode towards the doorway, leaving behind a wide-eyed Dan and...maybe a few crushed hopes. Well, whatever! Echizen was so stressed out right now he was past caring. All that was on his schedule today was school, then tennis practice, then home for dinner. That's all. He never said he was okay with fitting in a Dan Taiichi somewhere in between!

"Echizen-kun, wait!"

Echizen didn't wait. He couldn't deal with this...this was too much! He had more important issues to think of than...than all this weird 'like' and kiss-whatever!

"Echizen-kun..." Dan's voice was growing softer as Echizen reached the doorway and freedom.

"Echizen-kun...ma...madamadadane!"

It was like pushing all of Echizen's buttons at ONE go.

One foot already out of the clubroom, Echizen drew back sharply. Nobody, nobody (except for Oyaji) used that term on Echizen! NOBODY!

Echizen spun around on his heels, meaning to stalk right up to Dan and demand that he apologise at once for that insult.

He didn't get to do it. The moment he had turned, there was a cloud of soft, damp Dan-hair in his face, very soft and warm Dan-skin against his cheek, and thin yet surprisingly strong Dan-arms around his neck. Stiffening, Echizen wanted to recoil but was kept firmly in place by another body, young and as male as his own, pressing into him.

Then there was something at his...mouth.

Geh!! Amber eyes blinked in a psychedelic mixture of confusion and shock and surprise.

Soft...it was very soft, that was all that registered in Echizen's frazzled mind at first. And wet. Hesitant softness and wetness nuzzling against Echizen's mouth. Clumsy. Their mouths slipped and slid their noses kept bumping. Sweet. Echizen was very, very surprised at the sweetness that flooded his taste senses. And boy. The kiss was all boy, right from Dan's insistent tugging around his neck, to the flexing of Dan's shoulders against his own as if pushing at him to respond, and that fierce enthusiasm behind Dan's lips that reminded Echizen of tennis.

Tennis...and kissing? Kissing...and tennis? Echizen's thoughts spun and spiralled and swept along until they were lost in warmth that felt okay and that still-strange sweetness that didn't leave his mouth.

For long, long moments after both boys had sprung apart, both as shocked and mortified as each other, never mind who started the kiss first and who finally did respond and who ended it, they were silent. Hands covering mouths, chests heaving with something not quite exertion yet coming strangely close to it.

And finally...one of them did broke the silence first.

"It's...not as bad as strawberry milk...the kiss-u..."

"...Well...y-yeah...But it was kinda..."

"Mada mada dane, huh..."

"...Yeah..."

"And how was your visit to Seigaku, Dan-kun?"

A bright, awkward and sheepish laugh ensued. "Quite uncool, Banji-sensei!"

"But you learnt something, yes? The visit was worth it?"

At this, the laugh was replaced by a grin just as self-deprecating but definitely more assured. "Hai desu!"

The visit was worth it, in every way possible. And the end too...was somewhat good because it could be the beginning of something more.

* * *

fin

**more author's ramblings : **Sorry if I bullied Dan at first, but seriously, I DO think Dan needs to grow a spine, and now that he has grown one, all's cool, ne? He just needs to be a little more mature, that's all. And I'm sorry for bullying the strawberry milk too. It seriously doesn't deserve all that bashing. ;;;


	6. Middle School Years Chapter 05

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**************Date-O! Date-O! Arc - Middle School Years - **05

**Pairings :** Dan x Echizen  
**Rating :** PG/PG-13  
**Warnings : **Shounen-ai, fluff, mild teenage lime, TWT  
**Disclaimer :** Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi. Not me.

**Spoilers :** None, unless you're not sure who Dan is '

**Summary : **The Kantou is drawing nearer and nearer and Echizen is feeling the tension. A concerned Dan pops by the school to fix Echizen's stress!

**A/N :** This is a bridge chapter, so it doesn't have too much of a plot in it. ' Feedback appreciated as always!

* * *

"...And the various junior high schools are gearing up for the upcoming spate of events. Right at the top of the list is the Kantou Tournament. This is the most prestigious tennis tournament and second only to the Nationals which would be contested later this year..."

With the broadcast journalist's words still ringing in his ears, Dan Taiichi turned off the TV. He hopped off the couch and bounded over to the front door. His large, expressive eyes turned dreamy as they took in the world outside. It was just like any other day with sun-soaked blue skies and cottony clouds. When he closed his eyes, he could hear the comforting rustle of the trees that lined the pavements. He took a deep breath of the springy air.

Even with days still so pretty, he couldn't enjoy them as much as he always did. Any tennis player wouldn't be able to! With the Kantou Tournament drawing so near, the participating schools were caught up in the whirlwind of training both physical and mental. After all, the tournament was little more than a week away.

Chewing thoughtfully on his lip, he wondered how Seigaku was doing in its preparations for the tournament. He had not visited the rival school ever since the last time he joined in their training with Banji-sensei in tow. It made him smile to think of that. It was one of the most amazing and wonderful days of his life! That charged atmosphere, all those talented Seigaku players he got to almost brush shoulders with...and the rookie star of all the players - Echizen Ryoma himself!

Cheeks pinking, Dan lifted his fingers to his lips.

He also had his first kiss that day. Only the sobering thought of the Kantou prevented him from going into delirium every time he remembered that kiss. And how he remembered it. It came to him in bite-sized, candy-sweet recollections. He'd go to the supermarket with 'kaa-san and when he saw the cartons of strawberry milk, he'd suddenly remember that Echizen-kun tasted even better than that. When he saw pictures of brilliant tennis players in the monthly tennis magazine, he'd remember how good Echizen was at tennis and all his super moves executed with precision and power.

Then inevitably, he'd remember the feel of Echizen around him. He nearly wanted to die of mortification when he recalled how he had practically thrown himself into Echizen's arms that day, but then it made him want to die blushing when he couldn't get over the feel of the wiry hardness of Echizen's chest against his own.

Gasping loudly, Dan sank his face into his hands. Echizen-kun was so busy preparing for the all-important Kantou, and here he was, thinking all sorts of ecchi thoughts about Echizen-kun! Dan's face burned even more fiercely, particularly so when he felt his body burning as well like his every vein was on fire.

"Oi."

GEH! Dan couldn't help it. That voice startled him so badly he leapt three feet into the air with a yelp. When he had recovered somewhat from his shock at seeing that familiar towering figure outside his front gate, did Dan manage a coherent reply.

"Akutsu-senpai!"

The senior cocked his head gruffly. He was clad in the Yamabuki uniform. His ashy hair was tossed back from his head as he regarded Dan out of an arrogant gaze.

"What are you up to, squirt?"

Dan was already running up to his gate in his delight. "Akutsu-senpai! What are you doing here? It's weekend! I'm helping 'kaa-san with some spring-cleaning. What about you, Akutsu-senpai? Are you taking a walk? Did you come to visit me? What - "

"Shaddup," Akutsu barked, before he made a 'tch' sound and added dryly. "You're noisy."

At this, Dan chuckled and rubbed his head. "You know me, Akutsu-senpai! Some things don't change." No wonder Akutsu-senpai didn't like talking to him, Dan thought a little sheepishly. He knew he chattered too much and too fast and he did try to restrain himself but whenever he got excited, it was hard to keep quiet!

"I don't take walks," Akutsu continued in his brusque manner. "I just passed by. You got a problem with that?"

"Of course not, Akutsu-senpai!" Dan protested, then he paused when he saw the weird little twitch in Akutsu's lips, and realised that the older boy was pulling his leg. Dan wondered why Akutsu had such a weird sense of humour.

"Oi." Akutsu pointed his racquet at Dan as though he was brandishing a weapon. "Aren't you supposed to be spring-cleaning?"

"Oh..." Dan replied a little more hesitantly. "That's already finished. I was thinking of..."

"Of what?" came the impatient prodding.

"Visiting Seigaku." Dan finished weakly.

"And why the hell would you do that?"

"It's Echizen-kun!" Dan blurted without thinking. At the sharp rise of Akutsu's brow, he grinned bashfully and rubbed his head again. "Remember you said I should look up to someone closer to myself? That's what I've been doing, Akutsu-senpai. Echizen-kun's my goal now, and I really, really, really hope I would be as good as him one day! But...I think he's too good. I can't catch up, Akutsu-senpai."

"Tch," the other boy muttered, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else but here talking to Dan. "How hard are you trying to catch up?"

"Very hard!" Dan declared fiercely. Then he remembered whom he was talking to, and blushing, Dan ducked his head. "Sorry, Akutsu-senpai! I didn't mean to - "

"Whatever," Akutsu interjected. He shrugged his bag more securely over his shoulder. "As long as you're working hard at it...it's no prob." He said, then stopped and looked rather ill that he had spoken so much to a tiny squirt like Dan.

"Hai desu!" Dan grinned and did a little salute like he was a soldier. "I know what Akutsu-senpai mean! As long as I work hard, even if I never become as good as Echizen-kun, I'd have no regrets!"

"Hn," The older boy snorted. Already, he was turning and moving off without so much as a word of goodbye. However, just before he was out of hearing range, he turned back to Dan. Without looking at the younger boy, he spoke gruffly. "Some things don't change. But some do. You're one of them."

Dan was left at his gate, staring in puzzlement after his senior schoolmate for a long moment. Whatever did Akutsu-senpai mean by what he said? Had Dan changed? Frowning in boyish bewilderment, the boy looked down at himself. He had grown a couple of inches in the past few months, and so had his feet since his shoes had started getting tight...but he couldn't figure out where else he had changed.

But even though he didn't quite get what Akutsu-senpai mean, those words still left a pool of warmth deep in his belly. Those words...reminded him of what Echizen had said the last time they had played: _the beginning was real bad...but the end was somewhat good._ Maybe...he had managed to turn more of the bad into good, was that was Akutsu-senpai meant? Dan's eyes lit up as he patted his own tummy. The pool of warmth had grown too, spreading out with comforting fingers so the rest of him felt warm too.

Nodding determinedly to himself, Dan gave one last wave to Akutsu-senpai's fast-disappearing figure. He was no longer hesitant about popping by Seigaku to see how Echizen-kun was handling the last bout of Kantou training. He was concerned that he would disturb or interrupt Echizen-kun's training, but he was also more concerned about Echizen-kun himself. And he had the perfect solution too. He'd just watch the Seigaku's freshman's training in secret. That way, he could make sure Echizen-kun was okay, he could gather information, and he wouldn't disturb Echizen-kun at all!

Mind made up, the boy dashed back into the house and up the stairs.

* * *

Just a little more than a week to the Kantou tournament. Just a little more than a week. Just a little -

Straightening himself, Echizen Ryoma frowned to himself. What was going on? His mind had been reciting those three lines over and over until it felt like it was going to explode! Was it nerves affecting him? But that couldn't be...not even when he was entered in tournaments in the under-twelve circuit back in the States, he had never experienced an attack of nerves. Sure, he had been affected, but mostly that was the undeniable anticipation of meeting new opponents and of course, winning them.

Right now, he wasn't quite sure what he was feeling, but he was certain as hell it wasn't just anticipation.

Lifting his head, he glanced around him. The day was already turning dark. He saw the other courts where his seniors and fellow freshman tennis-mates were practising. Everyone had been training for hours and everyone was working so hard...even genius Fuji-senpai. The mood in the courts had been sombre ever since the week before. Of course it hadn't started out like that, not when Eiji-senpai and Momo-senpai were as noisy and boisterous as ever, but slowly, slowly...even those two had started to get serious. Now that Buchou had left for Germany for work on his shoulder, it seemed all the Seigaku tennis club members had been more uptight than ever.

__

Become the pillar of Seigaku.

The frown deepened on the freshman's forehead. Easier said than done...and when had he actually agreed to it anyway?! Echizen remained staring at the courts for a while longer, before bending his waist and readying his racquet for the umpteenth. He would pump in more nightly training from today onwards. He told himself that it wasn't like he was dying to become the pillar of Seigaku or whatever, but that if he wanted to become the best, it was part of the baggage he had to carry with him.

He blinked as the floodlights came on, soaking the courts in glaring white light. This was usually a good indicator that most of the various club members in school had already left and all that were left were the sports clubs. The tennis freshmen trio and non-regulars were also preparing to leave. Only the regulars were still around, all playing and practising hard as though training had just started for the day.

Well...Echizen's mind corrected. Only the regulars...and an outsider.

Echizen had already noticed the extra non-Seigaku presence several hours earlier when it was still day-time. The stranger had taken immense effort to conceal his presence from the courts, but it wasn't too effective and Echizen spotted him anyway.

Amazing. It was night-time now and the presence was still there, crouched in the shadows and watching intently.

Like a seasoned pro, Echizen tuned his mind out. It wouldn't do anyone any good to get distracted during training. He couldn't very possibly slack off when the other regulars were putting so much into their own practice. Plus, he reminded himself. This Kantou Tournament was a stepping-stone for him to climb higher and higher.

Narrowing his eyes, Echizen arched his back and served.

* * *

Wincing, Dan tried to shift his position without making too many conspicuous movements. It was soooo...difficult. He couldn't actually remember how many hours he had spent hidden and secretly spying on the Seigaku team. Okay...he wasn't actually spying, but he was just gathering some useful information. Although...the nature of his information remained debatable.

Somewhat ruefully, Dan glanced down at his notebook. He had already filled pages and pages of notes, except...most of them were on just one Seigaku member. Specifically, Echizen Ryoma. He had noted Echizen's physical traits, his vital statistics, his postures during each move, the moves themselves, the workout he put himself through during training, what he drank during training and even the responses he gave his fellow tennis-mates. Dan felt a wash of guilt. He wondered if he already fit the definition of a stalker, because it sure was starting to feel that way.

A sudden spike of pain in his legs had Dan stuffing his fist against his mouth to stifle his yelp. Owww...the cramps were getting bad. Dan was just going to shift his position again when he suddenly noticed that Echizen was serving, and he froze in his movements. Forgetting the pain, Dan watched in wonder the famous Twist Serve in action. Echizen's body arced in deadly grace as he sent the famed serve over the other court. Dan thought it was amazing.

Strangely enough, Echizen didn't look too happy with it as he straightened and stared thoughtfully at the other opposite half of the court. His usually expressionless face was darkened by a scowl. That was weird, Dan thought to himself. Usually Echizen never allowed real emotion to show in his exterior. He could be angry or happy or sad and nobody could tell...at least, usually. Right now, the irritation was clear in his steely gaze.

Dan was momentarily distracted as the Seigaku team members began packing up to leave. Oh...now that he thought about it. It was getting a tad late and he himself would have to leave soon or he'd be home too late. But he couldn't find the motivation to move from his position when Echizen himself didn't look like he was done with training yet.

Slowly, chatter and snatches of conversations filled the night air as one by one, the Seigaku regulars finished the last of their ball-picking and clearing up. And one by one too, the courts were emptied and locked. Those already done packing were now gathered outside the court on which Echizen was still stationed. Dan's ears perked up as the regulars began bantering with an unmoved Echizen.

"C'mon, Echizen! You're gonna overwork yourself like this! Let's go, and we'll go grab a burger or something. Dinner, ya'know. Eiji-senpai's paying!"

"Ehh?! When did I say that, nya?!"

"Enough, you two," Oishi-san's voice interrupted the bickering. "Echizen. Are you sure you still want to continue the training? Momo's right. You might get burn-out at this rate."

From the safety of the shadows, wide brown eyes watched the courts intently. Dan hoped Echizen would listen to his seniors and stop. Even from this distance, Dan had the uneasy feeling that Echizen was not quite acting normally. That was why he felt rather worried when the unmistakable, even yet brusque tone of Echizen's voice filtered from above the buzz of the regulars' chatter.

"I'm not done with training yet, Oishi-senpai. When I am, I'd make sure the court is locked securely."

That was Echizen's childishly insensitive way of telling his seniors to clear off and leave him in peace.

"Ouch, that's cold, Ochibi!" Kikumaru-san exclaimed.

But in the end, even the Seigaku regulars knew there was no changing Echizen's mind when he was so firm in his decision. After a last-minute lecture on not overworking the mind and the body from Oishi-san, the Seigaku regulars trooped noisily away from the court and towards the school gates.

Dan shrank back from the older boys as they shuffled and strolled past his hiding place. Good. None of them noticed that he was crouched there. When he was sure the Seigaku regulars were totally out of sight, Dan moved again, stretching his cramped legs out for a moment. Ahh...sweet relief.

"Hey!"

Dan froze.

"How long are you going to keep hiding there?"

Brown eyes rounded as Dan popped his head from his spot. Not a far distance away, a hard amber gaze was fixed on him. Ack! Echizen knew! Knowing that he'd better show himself or risk annoying Echizen, Dan crawled from the shadows and rose on unsteady feet. Sheesh, with this kinda pain, next time he'd make sure he picked a better place to hide himself! Totally discovered, Dan grinned bashfully as he stepped towards the court where Echizen was waiting for his approach.

"Hi, Echizen-kun," Dan said shyly as he came right up to the fence. Now much closer to the court, he could see the strings of sweat that dripped from Echizen's flushed skin. "Echizen-kun...may I come into the court?" The moment the words were out of his mouth, Dan knew he shouldn't have requested that. Wouldn't he be simply disturbing Echizen-kun even further like that?

The Seigaku freshman lowered his racquet and turned fully. He was breathing hard, his shirt and cap damp, and his hair stuck to his brow and cheeks in rakish tendrils. But under the floodlights, his eyes were unusually bright and Dan thought looked like he might be over-exerting himself. It was rare seeing Echizen pushing himself hard for something that wasn't actually a tennis match.

"Whatever," Echizen said shortly, and turned back to face the court.

It was a 'yes' then! Taking it as agreement, Dan couldn't help feeling all tingly and excited as he practically skipped over to the gate. He slipped inside the court and made his way to the side bench where he could sit and watch Echizen train. Sitting also felt much, much better than crouching!

Seeing Echizen whack ball after ball into the opposite court brought all sorts of memories flooding into Dan's mind. Even seated where he was, he could feel the intensity vibrating off the other freshman in thick waves. It was almost stifling, this intensity, and Dan found himself holding his breath for each ball that met Echizen's racquet.

Had Echizen ever been this intense? He had, Dan remembered, but it was displayed only in matches and even then...few matches. After the tenth ball, Echizen stopped, looked around and realised that he was out of balls and would need to pick up the stray ones around the court.

Remembering himself, Dan picked up the water-tumbler just next to him. He held it out tentatively for the other boy. "Echizen-kun?"

The Seigaku freshman stared at him for a moment, before taking the tumbler with a muttered word of thanks. He drank from it silently.

Dan was actually starting to feel a little weirded out now, and he couldn't quite figure out why. Even in the past, Echizen had always been kinda grumpy with him, or he would be silent. His face betrayed little emotion and even his eyes didn't speak all that much. But now...it was like Echizen had practically become a stranger of sorts and Dan wasn't sure if he knew this Echizen.

Also...Echizen looked really tired. It wasn't physically, definitely not, for Echizen had really good stamina. Rather...it was in the way Echizen looked at the court like he was hell bent on conquering every single inch of it. Not that it was impossible for someone as talented as Echizen-kun of course! But it made Dan feel all worried when Echizen's gaze seemed to be glazed over like for the paste few weeks, he had been looking too much at the court.

Before Dan could stop himself, he was abruptly on his feet, hands clenched into determined fists. "Echizen-kun!"

The other boy whipped around in alarm. Without waiting for Echizen-kun to respond because Dan was sure that if he waited his courage would disappear, Dan stalked up to Echizen. A bright, piercing brown gaze warred with a bewildered amber one for a bizarre moment, before Dan reached over and snatched the other boy's racquet out of his hands.

Echizen gaped. "Wha - !"

Dan laid out the racquet on the bench as carefully as though his life depended on it, then he straightened again. And this time, it was Echizen's arm he grabbed.

"What are you doing?!" The Seigaku freshman gasped once he had found his voice while being towed along by Dan.

It was a given fact that Dan was not as physically strong as Echizen but Dan had surprise on his side and while Echizen was still floundering, Dan had managed to actually drag the boy out of the court. That was when Echizen regained his composure and dug in his heels to stop himself from being pulled any further. Amber eyes glared heatedly at Dan.

In response, Dan curled his hand tighter around Echizen's arm. "P...please come with me, Echizen-kun."

Dan wasn't sure why - maybe it was the way he said it or that Echizen was more tired than they both thought - but Echizen actually gave in. "Get this over soon. I still have training."

A relieved smile broke over Dan's face. He didn't relax his grip on Echizen, irrationally fearing that Echizen would march right back to training if he did. So he pulled Echizen along, heading to the place he had in mind. One good thing about visiting Seigaku as often as he did was that he knew the school grounds relatively well.

They stopped when Dan halted in his tracks. "Here we are!" he announced. His enthusiasm deflated a little when he saw the incredulous look on Echizen's face.

"We're not five anymore," the Seigaku freshman replied tersely. "I'm going back to - "

Dan shook his head stubbornly. They were already here, the Seigaku fitness area with its wooden apparatus like monkey bars and beams and ropes, and even swings. Oh, he knew Echizen wouldn't take to the idea, and Echizen was right about them not being five anymore.

"When..." Dan began, faltering a little when a stern amber gaze caught his own. But he continued anyway. "When I was little, whenever I was sad or angry, I always go to the playground. I...I dunno why but it always makes me feel better after I did. Echizen-kun looked so stressed, so I thought - "

"I don't like playgrounds." Was Echizen's rather sharp retort.

Dan wasn't deterred. He had had his fair share of retorts and snappy orders back when he was still team manager of the Yamabuki team. His seniors never had time for him and would snap at him for the slightest provocation, but ultimately, he also knew his seniors never meant to really hurt him. Akutsu-senpai was the same. In fact, he had been the fiercest one on the team, far fiercer than Echizen had ever been, but Dan still loved to be around him. And the same...went for Echizen.

Dan pointed at the innocent-looking swing. "I'm sure you'd feel better if you just relax for a bit, Echizen-kun!"

Rather huffily, the Seigaku freshman glared from Dan to the swing and back to Dan again. He looked torn between Dan's persistence and what he felt was a very absurd situation he had allowed himself to be gotten into.

Finally, slowly and hesitantly, Echizen caved in and strode stiffly over to the swing. He stared down at it like it was a very poor substitute for tennis indeed, before shutting his eyes almost sulkily as he climbed onto it.

Dan tried not to giggle when he saw how still Echizen was sitting on the swing. It totally defied the purpose of the swing, but it could hardly be helped when its occupant was a prickly and stubborn Echizen. Echizen's back was to Dan and the Yamabuki freshman studied it indulgently for a moment. He always thought Echizen's posture, no matter what it was, looked great. It was always taut and held in that arrogant manner that only someone as prodigiously talented as Echizen could exhibit.

Taking a deep breath, Dan stepped forward and rested his hands on Echizen's back. The body beneath his touch jumped in surprise. "Sorry! Did I scare you?" Dan apologised quickly, although he kept his hands firmly on the other boy.

"No," Echizen sounded wary and tensed.

"Okay...let me swing you."

And that was what he did. The school was silent and would have been dark if not for the nearby floodlights. The white light illuminated the fitness area. Now with the silence only broken by the hushed creak of the swing, they could hear the whisper of the breeze. It was soft and felt good against their skin and in their hair. Echizen had taken off his cap and his head was lowered so his face was hidden. Behind him, Dan pushed gently every time the swinging motion brought Echizen's back bumping against his hands. And gradually, the lines of tension began to ease from Echizen's shoulders.

Then, Echizen spoke. This time, he sounded much less irritated and calmer. "Talk."

"Huh?" Dan said intelligently. But he got it after a moment and he did talk. "'Tou-san would swing me like this when I was much, much smaller. I loved it so much I didn't even want to learn to swing myself. I just like it when 'tou-san does it instead. You know that kinda feeling...it's as if...you're...flying. And the sky seems so much nearer when you're flying up to touch it. Don't you think so, Echizen-kun?"

The other boy shrugged. "Oyaji does nothing but annoy me...and plays tennis with me."

"Hmmm..." Dan thought hard about that. That indeed, sounded like a rather strange relationship between father and son, but if the son was Echizen-kun, the father couldn't be all that bad. "But Uncle taught you to play tennis, right? Doesn't Echizen-kun love tennis now?"

"...Maybe."

Dan fell silent after that. He didn't know why but he was starting to feel all funny inside. He was the same age as Echizen-kun and they were both tennis players, but unlike the other boy, he didn't have to shoulder even half of the kind of burden Echizen have to. It made Dan feel rather useless that he couldn't do much to make Echizen feel better.

Echizen raised his head, half-turning in what seemed to be surprise.

It was then Dan realised that he had stopped swinging Echizen. Biting down on his lip in severe trepidation, Dan laid his hands against Echizen's back again. Earlier he had been too wrapped in his own thoughts to notice it, but he was suddenly aware how close Echizen was to him. Dan's heart pounded. All the past occasions of him getting close to Echizen were the results of his impulses or his moods which got him carried away all too often. Now, he was totally clear-minded, and Echizen too.

Squeezing his eyes shut in some effort to work up his courage, Dan stepped up to Echizen's back, then he sighed and laid his forehead against Echizen's shoulder. The Seigaku freshman went very rigid.

"Sorry, Echizen-kun." Dan said softly. This was a new feeling to him. Usually he went after everything in life with everything he had. If he wanted something wanted to do something, he'd just do it and be totally uncaring of the consequences. He got disappointed and discouraged easily, just like the last tennis match against Echizen, but after that, it was back to rushing headlong into things.

This time, he had absolutely no idea how to act around Echizen. He wondered if Echizen truly found him annoying but was just too nice to say anything about it.

"Hey..." Echizen said abruptly. There was no anger in his tone, although he did sound kinda awkward. "Your father does this to you too?"

Brown eyes blinked in incomprehension, until Dan realised Echizen was referring to their rather suggestive position. Without knowing it himself, Dan had curled both arms around Echizen from behind and his head was still tucked against the crook between Echizen's neck and shoulder.

"Oh!" Dan chuckled sheepishly, although he made no move to budge. It felt nice...like he was hugging his soft toys at home...nicer maybe because his soft toys wouldn't respond like Echizen would. "Hai, he did...when I was three."

"Hn."

There were some movements beneath Dan's cheek and when he raised his head, he found himself staring into night-darkened amber eyes. Dan's heart nearly leapt to his throat. What was Echizen thinking, Dan wondered with escalating uncertainty. Without the common topic of tennis, Dan just couldn't tell what went on in Echizen's undecipherable amber gaze. Echizen was hardly like any normal twelve-year-old boy too.

"Dan - "

"Hai desu!" Dan blurted, then stopped and turned pink. That sounded so juvenile.

"Let's practise."

At first, Dan thought it was tennis Echizen was talking about. After all, there was nothing else for Echizen to practise for. Then when Echizen made no move to rise from the swing, Dan thought for a moment, Echizen was talking about schoolwork. Of course, Dan also remembered that Echizen's academic performance was top-notch and he wouldn't need practice in that department either. And then thirdly...

Dan realised Echizen was talking about kissing. There was no WAY Echizen would come right out and say it, but his head was tilted in that rather stiff way like he was getting very awkward and impatient and he was waiting for Dan to do something about it.

Eyes wide open, Dan did as he was told. He hoped with all his might that he wasn't misunderstanding Echizen's command. Clumsily, he inclined his head and very, very tentatively touched his lips to Echizen's.

When Echizen jerked back, Dan couldn't help recoiling in reply. Oh no, oh no, oh no! The last time, Dan had impulsively kissed Echizen, but that had been because he really wanted to prove himself. This time...he might really end up driving Echizen away.

Then came Echizen's next line and Dan's eyes flew wide. "This is worse than the first one."

Dan stared at the thoughtful frown on Echizen's face, and suddenly felt the urge to giggle. He got it now. Perfectionist that Echizen was, the super rookie would hardly settle for any half-assed activity, and that included even kissing.

"Close your eyes." Echizen ordered.

Beyond the darkness of his shut eyelids, Dan felt a hand at the back of his head holding him still. Then firm lips found his own, and unable to stop it, Dan began to quiver. Echizen's skin was damp against his face and his mouth so warm and...breathless. Dan was not quite breathing anymore as he nuzzled back into the other boy's still-unskilled but demanding kisses.

When they pulled apart with an audible gasp from Dan, the Yamabuki boy's cheeks were completely stained red and his eyes bright with the wonder at what they had just done.

"Was...that still...made made dane?" Echizen said quietly. His chest was also rising and falling with rapid pants.

"N...no way!" Dan shook his head hard and he blushed even more at the oddly-pleased look on Echizen's face. "But if...Echizen-kun needs practice, please practise with me only!" Dan rattled at one go, not quite able to look Echizen in the eye.

He only dared raise his head at the snort from Echizen. "As though anyone else would practise such a thing with me."

A silly, delirious grin broke over Dan's face. "Hai desu!" He bobbed up to Echizen. "Can I swing you again?"

"I still have training," A sullen frown settled between Echizen's brows.

"Just a bit more?"

"...Whatever."

Still grinning, Dan laid his hands on Echizen's back, and pushed.

* * *

fin

**author's ramblings : **It seems I can't get enough of the two ochibis kissing. . And I WISH I could see it in animated form, sigh. This time, it's Echizen taking some of the initiative. He might be mortified later, but I suppose he should realise he actually likes kissing Dan. evil author cackle


	7. Middle School Years Chapter 06

**************Date-O! Date-O! Arc - Middle School Years - **06

**Rating : **PG-13  
**Pairing : **Echizen x Dan  
**Warnings : **Shounen-ai, fluff, sweetness, mild teenage lime, TWT

**Disclaimer : **Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi. Not me.

**Summary : **Echizen celebrates with his team members after the Kantou Tournament, and finds himself missing Dan despite himself. With some help from his adoring and nosy seniors, Echizen gets a surprise waiting for him.

**Author's Notes : **Some liberties have been taken with the anima/manga storyline - I've mixed some of the elements. Pardon me. ;; And oh, four years is a long time. The writing may be pretty raw; I'm still getting into the characterisations and whatnot. Hope you enjoy anyway!

* * *

_Game. Set. Match. Six-Four. Echizen Ryoma. _

Hyoutei Gakuen...Hiyoshi Wakashi.

Josei Shonan...Shinjo Reiji.

And now...Rikkaidai...Sanada Genichirou.

Names of fallen schools and conquered heroes added to his already impressive list.

It was almost hysterical how such a thought could occur to Echizen Ryoma now as he stared around the courts with a dazed and amazed sort of disbelief. He _did_ it. The months of preparation, the stress that built around him like a pressure cooker, the sweat, the stinging burns and grazes from too many practice sessions, the eyes of his seniors wide with fervent support and fear and anticipation and _hope_...

Now pure, pure exuberance.

ECHIZEN!OCHIBI! RYOMA-KUN! NATIONALS!

The roars were deafening around him. Echizen blinked again, his limbs numbed and unmoving, his eyes almost blinded now in their aching protest, but he heard his seniors' ecstatic screams and he'd be _damned_. It was all worth it. _Buchou, wherever you are, you're better be watching this and taping this, and then watching it again. _He closed his eyes, opened them a moment later, saw a glimpse of white Yamabuki uniform in the stands that was gone when he refocused his vision.

Then Echizen stopped thinking altogether as he was swamped with a flurry of blue-and-white Seigaku colours and excited pats on his head and way-overly-affectionate hugs.

* * *

His hands shook so much it was all he could do clasp them into equally trembling fists. Seishun Gakuen defeated Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku. _It was amazing, astounding...unbelievable_. But that was exactly what happened. Echizen decided it for Seigaku even before he played the final singles match.

Tears welled in Dan Taiichi's eyes for the first time since he began watching Echizen's match. He couldn't even begin to describe what he had felt as he followed every move, every stroke, every ball that Echizen played against Sanada. There was sheer joy when Echizen started to lead, horror when Sanada started to get the better of Echizen, and then sweet relief when Echizen eventually emerged the victor. Dan lifted his quivering fists and held them at his heart. _If this goes on any further...I'm going to die of a heart attack before I even hit fourteen!_ Dan thought, giddy with the still-churning emotions within him. But even if that happened, it'd be a happy kind of heart attack.

Swiping away his tears with the backs of his hands, Dan stood up and let out the breath he didn't even realise he had been holding all this time. He had accomplished what he came to do, had been doing for the past few months when Echizen was still preparing for the Kantou Tournament. Time had sure passed real quick.

He turned around and saw Sengoku-senpai lounging against the tree. Like Dan, Sengoku had been watching the Seigaku-Rikkaidai match. The flame-haired boy grinned at him, green eyes dancing with knowing mischief. "Yo!"

"Sengoku-senpai," Dan waved back, quickly bouncing up the stairs to his senior.

"So Seigaku won, huh..." Sengoku straightened himself as Dan approached. The older boy cast a look towards the Seigaku celebrations on the court, and for a fleeting moment, his grin faded into a wistful sort of regret.

It was an expression that was just wrong on Sengoku-senpai's usual grinning face. Dan scampered over to him and curled his hand around the older boy's uniform sleeve. "We're still going to the Nationals! We'll do better there! Right, senpai?

Sengoku-senpai's lips quirked again into a grin. "Sure we will, kid," he ruffled Dan's already tousled bangs as they walked away from the courts and the noise and the cheers faded behind them. "Besides, at the Nationals, you get to fantasise about Echizen again, so it's _all_ good."

"Wh - what?! I don't - I don't know what you mean!" Dan sputtered, his cheeks flaming all sorts of shades of red. Too late, he remembered that he was the one who had consulted Sengoku-senpai on his crush. And, to Sengoku's credit, the senior hadn't taken very long to figure out that Echizen Ryoma was the subject of Dan's affections. Sengoku-senpai had been supportive, but at the same time, embarrassingly so, taken every opportunity to tease Dan about it.

"You don't?" The gleam in Sengoku-senpai's eyes was disturbingly sly. "Well! I mean when you think about how you wanna hug him, kiss him, breathe him..."

_Ohmygod...ohmygod, ohmygod!_ As Sengoku went on his horribly explicit definition, Dan was mentally ticking off the checklist. Check, check, check and check. He'd done all of those!

"Jump into bed with him..."

"We did _not_ do that!" Dan fairly squawked. If a hole would open in the ground, he'd dive into it and never come out.

"What?" Sengoku blinked innocently. "I meant jumping into bed to do homework."

"Oh!" Dan sighed, but then the seriousness evaporated from Sengoku's face and the older boy guffawed with unrestrained glee. "Senpai..." Dan whined, lifting his hands to his cheeks because they were burning. "You're evil."

"Aww...to say that to your favourite senpai..."

"Akutsu-senpai's my favourite senpai. You're mean."

"You're too easy, kiddo...So, have you kissed him yet?"

"I'm - I'm not telling you!"

It was then their school bus came into view, and they fell silent. As Dan took the first step up the bus, he turned and cast a glance towards the courts he had already left behind. He didn't know when was the next time he could see the Seigaku team again, but for now, he just so happy for them that he did not mind at all.

"C'mon, kid," Sengoku's voice called out to him. "Let's go."

* * *

Naturally, they had the hugest celebratory bash in the Kawamura sushi restaurant. Echizen was positive he had never seen such an amazing array of sushi in his life, with the most incredible colours and toppings. He did a dizzy mental count. _Ebi, tako, unagi, tamagoyaki, kani, saba, ika, and get this, sausage._

"OCHIBI!" Kikumaru beamed at him, his red curls seeming even bouncier in his excitement. "You're our hero tonight, so you get to pick first! Go on!"

"I'm not a hero," Echizen muttered reflexively, but he certainly wasn't going to pass up the chance to get first pick of the sushi. Not when all his seniors' ravenous gazes were fixed longingly on the sushi as well! He took just a few seconds to decide, quickly picking out his favourites and piling them onto his plate in a mountain.

No sooner had Echizen done that, the other Seigaku tennis players immediately launched themselves at the food. And for several long moments, the whole image of them as amazingly-gifted middle-school tennis players was comfortably exchanged for what they were outside of tennis - just a bunch of boisterous, hungry boy adolescents.

"Say," Momo spoke around a mouthful of sushi and almost spewing it out in his eagerness. "Say, Echizen! Don't you think there's something missing here?"

"Huh?" Echizen didn't really digest whatever Momo-senpai was saying. His chopsticks hovered over the selection of sushi on his plate. Hmm...which one to eat next...

"TRUE TRUE!" Kikumaru cut in suddenly. He was grinning altogether too brightly. "More like, don't you think _someone_ is missing?"

"Someone?" Echizen frowned thoughtfully. Someone, who? All the tennis regulars were here... Well, except... "You mean Buchou?"

"Of course not!" Momo sighed impatiently. "Who doesn't know that Tezuka-Buchou is still in Kyuushu for his treatment?"

"What Momo mean is," Fuji chimed in unexpectedly, a loaded smile playing on his lips. "Don't you think we should have invited Dan Taiichi to dinner today?"

Everyone were like statues at that declaration. Kawamura looked suitably puzzled. Oishi cleared his throat compulsively. Kaidoh looked like he'd rather be anywhere but there. Momo and Kikumaru had identical admiring expressions. Inui simply looked like this was a great time for more data collection.

Echizen choked on his salmon.

"Wow, Fujiko!" Kikumaru whistled. "That's really in-your-face!"

Oh, that was one _apt_ expression. After he had downed a huge gulp of Ponta to stabilise his nerves, Echizen looked up and gave Fuji-senpai a frown. "Why is Dan Taiichi supposed to be here." True to nature, his words came out as a statement, not a question.

Not one to be cowed by their Ochibi's famous temper, Fuji simply shrugged. "_Why_, Echizen-kun. Isn't he your boyfriend?"

This time, it was Oishi and Kaidoh choking simultaneously on their drinks.

"No he's not," Echizen replied quickly. A little too quickly, and certainly Fuji-senpai didn't miss it at all. "We're - "

He was going to say they were friends, but then he realised he had no idea what he and Dan Taiichi were. Were friends supposed to share kisses? Were friends supposed to drag you away to a playground at night and push you on swings? Echizen had never allowed a peer to do that to him.

Just when Echizen thought he might just pack up his things and go home, Fuji-senpai abruptly leaned back with a light laugh. "Pardon me, Echizen-kun. I was just teasing you. We know you and Dan are friends."

"Of course!" Oishi was quick to soothe any ruffled feathers. He waved at them with a matronly hand and beckoned them to eat. "Come on, guys. We have so much food to finish!"

And so, all the boys began attacking the rest of the food. However, whatever his seniors had planned to effect was already there. Even as Echizen popped the last of the sushi into his mouth, he couldn't help replaying his seniors' words over and over again. Were they right? Should Dan Taiichi be here? He suddenly recalled the distinct white Yamabuki uniform he had seen among the spectator stands after his match. He had not seen the face, but knew instinctively it was Dan cheering for him in the stands. Right after, Echizen had not seen Dan around, and thus completely forgotten about him.

A funny constricting feeling squeezed Echizen's insides. Even if...even if Dan Taiichi should be here celebrating with them, how was Echizen supposed to go about inviting him? It was an almost scary thought, to go up to Dan and asking him to join him in celebration. There was _no_ way he could bring himself to do that!

"Echizen...?" Oishi's voice brought him out of his reverie. The Vice-Captain's eyes were gentle when they regarded him. "Are you still bothered by what Fuji said?"

"No," Echizen said truthfully. He had never held anything against his fellow tennis mates, no matter how stupid or ridiculous they got, simply because he took them for who they were. Fuji-senpai was just being Fuji-senpai when he said all those weird things.

"Okay," Oishi nodded. "You can talk to me if you need to."

At this, Echizen really could not help it. Looking directly at Oishi, he said with a completely straight face, "_Fuku-Buchou_, you can talk to me about _Kikumaru-senpai_ if you want to as well."

"E - Echizen! You - " Oishi's cheeks flamed a startling red as he flailed at regaining his composure.

Smirking to himself, Echizen took another gulp of Ponta. That last mouthful of sushi was tasteless, and it wasn't the standard of cooking or anything. Or Ponta, like how his seniors always went and on about how Ponta and sushi were not supposed to be mentioned in the same breath. It was...his gaze flickered over to the empty seat next to him. It was as if his seniors had expected someone else there and chose not to take that seat.

Well...now it was empty.

Taking his can of Ponta in one hand, Echizen excused himself, never mind all the noisy protests from his seniors, and stepped outside the restaurant for a breather. The night sky was clear, though the stars were none too bright. A light breeze ran cool fingers through his hair and Echizen tilted his head back to enjoy it.

For one brief moment, and Echizen would deny it even to himself later, he wondered what Dan Taiichi was doing at that very moment.

* * *

The moment Echizen disappeared, the rest of the Seigaku boys in the restaurant erupted into fervent discussion.

"Ochibi looks miserable, nya!" Kikumaru declared loudly and was immediately shushed by Oishi. "But he does!"

"Miserable is probably not the right word," Fuji rejoined thoughtfully. "I was thinking more of lonely."

"I don't understand what's happening," Kawamura interrupted, rubbing at his head. Sushi was a lot easier to understand than all these dynamics.

Momo gestured animatedly as he spoke. "It goes like this. A long time ago, we thought Echizen had a secret admirer - which he did. So we followed him and well, it turned out that - "

"Following Echizen was wrong," Kaidoh looked incredibly put out by that memory.

"So anyway, turned out it was Dan Taiichi! Can you believe it?!" Kikumaru piped up. "So now, Ochibi's miserable because Dan's not here. Get it?"

"Ahh...no, not really." Kawamura looked overwhelmed. Was this even about tennis anymore?

"Wait, wait, all of you," Oishi tried to talk above the buzz of voices. "We can't interfere in their business. Echizen is not going to like it." That translated to Echizen was absolutely going to _hate_ it and would probably exact an elaborate revenge.

"But he will never resolve the issue on his own," Fuji said quietly. Again, everyone else was suddenly all ears. Fuji always had that effect, even on Tezuka if he were here. "So as seniors, we have to lend a hand. A moping Echizen cannot be good for the team, ne?"

"In other words," Inui continued, pushing up his glasses. "We have to formulate a plan."

"That's RIGHT, Inui-senpai!" Momo exclaimed, pounding an excited fist into his other palm.

"Why do I fear the sound of that," Oishi sighed under his breath.

"I propose," Inui gave a glinting, rather disturbing smile. "A day trip."

* * *

Firstly, they told him that there was a small tennis camp site in the nearby woods that was just right for a small group of campers. It was safe, with all the basic amenities intact, even a small cabin.

Secondly, they argued that that some sunshine and woods and water would do all of them good, even if it was just one day.

Thirdly, they swore by the camp tennis court. Small and old it might be, but it was fully functional and since it was in the middle of said sunshine, woods and water, it was going to be _neat_.

Echizen said yes. Not for those three reasons, but because they were a team, and no way in hell were his bunch of very noisy seniors going to let him worm his way out of it anyway. He half suspected that even if he said no, they would kidnap him or something. Or worse, hold Karupin hostage. There was NO telling what his seniors would not do.

So here they were, staring at the camp site. It actually was pretty all right, Echizen realised, almost surprised by it. He had been expecting a derelict rat-hole of sorts, but this camp turned out looking...okay.

And it was _then_, his seniors unveiled the fourth reason for the trip.

"We have a surprise for you, Ochibi!"

"C'mon, Echizen! Look here!"

Echizen thought it sounded downright ominous. He turned, almost dreading to see what they had in store for him. Dear gods, if he found his father standing there - that Oyaji! - Echizen was going to _murder_ his seniors. Slowly. But what he found was - for several seconds, his mind couldn't process at all.

The figure standing before him was almost of his height, but more slender, his T-shirt and shorts hanging off his frame. Long bangs brushed at his chin and cheeks in a tousled fall, framing a small mouth, a dainty nose and most strikingly, wide brown eyes. It was so strange yet so familiar a figure, Echizen would know it anywhere.

"Dan..." The word slipped mechanically from Echizen's lips. What was Dan Taiichi doing here? At a Seigaku camp? Then, like a break of light over his clouded mind, it occurred to him. His _seniors_, of course. Suddenly the idea of murdering them sounded pretty good after all.

"Go say hi, Ochibi!" Kikumaru lectured him, hands jammed on his hips like a fussy matron. "Don't just stand there like an idiot, nya!"

Echizen just snorted and lowered his head. He knew he looked like an idiot like Kikumaru-senpai said, just standing there unmoving, but he had no idea what to say without sounding like an even bigger idiot.

"He - Hello..."

The hand that was extended towards Echizen was delicate and fine-boned, but covered with calluses. Tennis calluses. Echizen knew that hand. It had been the same one which had pushed him, so tentatively but so sincerely, on the swing that night. Raising his eyes to meet Dan's brown gaze, he wrapped his hand around Dan's.

"There, isn't that good?" Oishi said with a smile, coming over to them. He patted both freshmen on their backs. "We invited Dan along for the trip. So he can improve on his techniques!" Oishi ended rather hastily at the pointed _look_ he received from Echizen.

"I - " Dan broke in, his hands twisting anxiously around his racquet. "I hope you 're okay with that, Echizen-kun...I'm sorry I didn't tell you before...I mean, I would have asked you out to tell you - "

"I don't mind," Echizen muttered, not ungently, but albeit rather hurriedly when he noticed the sudden perking-up of his seniors' ears.

"I'm so glad!" Dan burst out, a huge smile brightening up his face like a ray of light. He also looked enormously relieved, as though he had been expecting a scolding from Echizen or something.

Echizen reined in his sigh, suddenly remembering his seniors' nagging to be nice to people. That it was Dan Taiichi made it easier, but still, Echizen hadn't quite figure out how to humour people, without being blunt or brutally honest at the same time.

"So..." Dan looked around them, cheeks turning pink as he realised he was the centre of attention of some of the most talented middle-school tennis players in the country, _all_ of whom were his idols. "What...what shall I do now?"

"Dan, Dan, Dan..." Momo appeared behind him, his wide violet eyes dancing and a lopsided grin on his face. He was bouncing his racquet on one shoulder. "You have to ask? _Tennis_ of course!"

* * *

And tennis it was, for the better part of the morning and afternoon.

They took turns on the court, playing doubles most of the way to maximise the number of players at any one time. It was amazing none of them was even vaguely sick of tennis having just finished the Kantou tournament days ago. They paired themselves up in the weirdest partnerships they could think of, just to see how things would go.

There was the Inui/Fuji pair - or the Scarily Potentially Psychotic Pair as the others inwardly christened them - against the Kawamura/Kaidoh pair. The match didn't make too much sense, but eventually Inui/Fuji won by a close margin. There was something about Inui looking meaningfully at Kaidoh at inopportune moments which made the younger boy lose points so startlingly that not even an on-fire Kawamura could salvage their game.

There was Momo/Kikumaru - the Play Pair - versus Oishi/Echizen. Turned out to be a non-contest either, because they knew one another so well. Oishi and Kikumaru were just too good at anticipating each other's moves, while Echizen took great delight in stopping all of Momo's Jack Knife moves, even though he sucked at everything else necessary in doubles play.

As they hit the afternoon, Inui played again, this time against Fuji alone just to see if the prodigy had improved without his knowledge. Expectedly so, Fuji revealed absolutely nothing, content to limit himself to tame rallies.

And then there was Momo/Kaidoh up against the Chibi Pair - Echizen and Dan.

Now _this_ one got all their attention.

Having played as doubles partners before, Momo/Kaidoh were almost old hands at this. Their chemistry was entirely different from Seigaku's Golden Pair. Where Oishi and Kikumaru shared perfect harmony and a near-telepathic bond, Momo and Kaidoh thrived on their inherent _differences_. Momo was all acute senses and primal instincts, not to mention his amazing strength and resilience. Kaidoh played like a dogged machine, never failing, never backing down, and punished any errant balls with his incredible spin shots.

The Chibi Pair was a completely different kettle of fish yet again. One, they had never paired before. Two, Echizen was not kidding when he admitted freely that he was absolutely horrid at doubles. He even demonstrated that in his earlier match already. Three, no one knew of Dan's prowess, or even his style of playing. True he had played Echizen in that one match months ago, but it had been an almost fiasco because he had spent half the match displaying copies of Echizen's moves. In conclusion, the Chibi Pair was a very new, very developing, and very, very interesting pair to watch. And so, none of the seniors would dream of passing up this chance.

As the four boys got ready on the court, the spectators were already gathered around the sidelines in anticipation. Momo and Kaidoh were quick to take their positions, despite hurling some choice curse words at each other along the way. On the other end of the court, Dan and Echizen barely conversed...well, save for the few seconds that Dan took as he spoke shyly and softly into Echizen's ear, to which Echizen merely raised an eyebrow, before shrugging and nodding his acquiescence.

"I wonder what position they would take," Oishi was saying, a spark of rare fire in his eyes, quite apparent that his mind was already churning out all sorts of different possible formations. Australian, maybe, Eiji? Since Echizen would have seen it already from our play."

Next to Oishi, Kikumaru shook his head with a grin, bouncing his weight from one foot to the other. "Nah, our Ochibi can't do the Australian to save his life!" he said without the slightest hint of malice. "It's gonna be something we've never seen before "

As it turned out, Kikumaru Eiji was startlingly accurate in his prediction. As they watched, Echizen moved to the centre of the court, positioning himself at the baseline quite comfortably - and very familiarly so.

"That..." Oishi looked stumped. "That looks like his singles play."

"That _is_ his singles play," Fuji confirmed.

A metre or so behind Echizen, Dan moved into position, also at the centre. He had put on a cap to hold back his bangs, and for a moment, looked amazingly like Echizen. The greatest difference was the look of open determination and passion in his eyes, which was at stark contrast with the steely fire of Echizen's gaze.

"What kind of strategy is this?" Inui asked. It might well be a rhetorical question for none of the other boys could answer.

The first point began soon enough. Expectedly, Momo and Kaidoh moved smoothly around the court, feeding off each other's vibes. Not so expectedly so, all their shots were returned from just one person - a cool, composed Echizen Ryoma.

"How long do you think you're gonna last on your own?" Momo tossed out that challenge between shots. "Eh, Echizen-_kun_?" he lobbed the ball high.

Echizen merely smirked and took off on one leg. He might be shorter than his seniors, but the spring in his legs more than made up for it. He reached the lobbed ball, forcing it down in a powerful smash. "Longer than you anyway, senpai!"

The ball hurtled past Momo, but the boy's lips simply curled into a deliberate smile. "Not in doubles, junior."

Kaidoh emerged in a flash, his racquet swinging in a breathtaking Snake, catching the ball and flinging it back onto the opposite court right on the line. The ball bounced, then twisted away as Kaidoh's heavy spin did its work.

Echizen did not move towards the ball; he lowered his head but there was no hiding the gleam in his eyes. "You might wanna say that again."

A slight figure detached itself from behind Echizen in a move so sudden and swift he was like quicksilver. It sprinted after the twisting ball, caught it with time to spare, and smacked it back onto the Momo/Kaidoh court, well past a stunned Momo.

"Well!" Momo said as he straightened and stared back at Echizen and the panting but grinning Dan behind him. "I'll be damned."

As the two pairs traded points and stunning court play, everyone realised what the Chibi Pair's strategy was. Echizen, who had very little understanding how to work with a doubles partner, simply played as he would in a singles match. Yet talented as he was, court coverage would be a problem now that double lines were used. And so Dan Taiichi would step in to retrieve the shots Echizen could not reach effectively without moving out of position. It sounded pretty simple, but it actually translated into a strange, yet oddly fascinating style of play that would have been out of place in any doubles match.

Most surprisingly of all, it was Dan Taiichi who stole the limelight from the other three players. He was obviously less skilled and sorely lacking in match experience, but as Inui noted scrupulously in his notebook, Dan Taiichi had incredible speed and an innate court sense that allowed him to reach every ball he tried for, and even return every one of those shots back onto the other court without once playing them wide.

It was rather much of a pity then, when the match ended prematurely as the sun dipped beneath the horizon and they could no longer see the ball. All the way to the communal baths and afterwards when they were refreshed, ravenous and sat roasting chicken wings, sausages and marshmallows over the fire, Momo took every opportunity to remind Echizen that he and Kaidoh were leading 5-4 when play was stopped, and thus, victory technically went to them. Echizen had nothing much to say to that at all, but simply replied Momo's chortling with a sort of peeved look.

All the boys would have liked to stay up longer, and they did try their darndest, but they had had an exhausting day. It didn't take too long before Kikumaru was already nodding off on Oishi's shoulder, and a bleary Dan looked like he would drop off to sleep exactly where he was seated. It was a stroke of good thinking then, that Oishi instructed everyone to pitch their tents the very moment they had arrived in the morning, for certainly none of them now was up to it.

Fuji helped take charge then, motioning a sheepish Oishi to get the near-comatose Kikumaru back to their tent. Kaidoh, Momo and Kawamura also retired back to their tent, but not before Momo made Kawamura promise to play a game with him the next day.

"Hmm, Echizen?" Fuji said when he noticed the freshman hovering around him.

Echizen flicked him a glance, before jamming his hands into his pockets. "Fuji-senpai, I guess that means I'm sharing a tent with - "

"Dan-kun, of course."

The look of surprise on Echizen's face was genuine. "I thought the original plan was that I share a tent with one of the seniors."

"Well," Fuji smiled amiably. "If we didn't say that, you'll never have come along with us, would you? Besides..." his eyes turned a little sharp and his voice lowered. "You are sharing a tent with Dan-kun."

"Oh...okay..." Echizen gave that 'whatever' look again, but could not entirely mask the petulance on his lips at being so unceremoniously silenced by Fuji. He headed towards the tent he was supposed to share with Dan.

The Yamabuki freshman was already standing in front of it, staring towards the starlit night sky, without the slightest indication that he had heard the conversation that had transpired between Echizen and Fuji. At Echizen's approach, Dan whipped around with a bashful smile. Echizen gestured a little brusquely, but quite apparently got his message across, as Dan turned pink and slipped quickly into the tent, Echizen following him right after.

Fuji watched the two freshmen for several moments even as they disappeared into their tent. The area around the campfire was suddenly empty. Bending down, he picked up the scattered remnants of their dinner and litter and deposited them into the trashbag they had tied to one side. Straightening, he saw Inui standing near the fire and watching him with a thoughtful expression.

Fuji smiled at him. "Yes, Inui?"

Inui was silent for a few seconds, before he ventured. "I was wondering," he said purposefully. "Just why you're so eager to get Dan and Echizen together. And then I was wondering, if it's because of Tezuka?"

Fuji felt his hands twitch a little at that name, an involuntary reaction that he had never managed to curb all these years. He let his smile fade. He could easily keep it going of course, but there was no need to in front of Inui. "And why," he humoured the bespectacled boy. "Would you think it's because of Tezuka?"

"Several reasons," Inui said with the air of a scientist. "The first that occurred to me was that you know how integral Echizen is in Tezuka's life, in a way that no one else, not even yourself, can be. And so, you'll prefer it that Echizen is taken by someone else."

Fuji's lips tightened, just imperceptibly so. "Is that so, Inui?"

The other boy stared at Fuji unwaveringly for several long seconds, before he relaxed and smiled slowly. "No, that's not so, Fuji. That was the wrong conclusion I came to. What I think is that you want to take care of the team in your own way, and not just for Tezuka, but also because you genuinely care. Oh and, it's all hypothetical, naturally."

Fuji blinked, letting the words sink into his brain. Then he turned his face and laughed a genuine laugh. "That's an interesting theory, Inui." When he looked at Inui again, his eyes twinkled. "Perhaps I just have fangirl tendencies and think Echizen and Dan look adorable together." At Inui's slack-jawed shock, Fuji added sweetly, "_And_ perhaps I also think that of you and Kaidoh. Hypothetically speaking, of course."

Inui coughed intelligently, murmuring something under his breath, before shifting stiffly around. "That was an enlightening talk. As expected from our prodigy. Good night, Fuji."

"Good night," Fuji said, watching Inui disappear into the tent he shared with Kaidoh. Inui had been right on that count. It had been an enlightening talk. Truth to be told, he had no idea if any of Inui's theories about his mindset was accurate at all. It was probably somewhere between Inui's first brutally honest assessment and his second one that made Fuji look like a white knight of sorts. Ah well, Fuji was fifteen, and he had all the time in the world to decide if he should be evil or angelic. Right now, however, there was something more important to do.

Sliding out his mobile phone, Fuji punched in the numbers and waited for the recipient to pick up his call. For the first time in days, Fuji felt something akin to true excitement. His heartbeat skipped, just a little. There was a click, and a painfully familiar baritone spoke.

"Hello?"

Fuji broke into a smile. "Hello, Tezuka."

* * *

They changed into their night clothes like girls, each facing one side of the tent, their backs to each other. Dan had suggested it himself, blushing madly, not sure if he could handle it if he saw Echizen changing. Or if Echizen saw him changing. Dan glanced down at his own body, suddenly self-conscious. When he grew up those couple of inches, his weight had not caught up and so now he was just skinny. He didn't have the wiry muscles that even Echizen had. The moment he thought of that, Dan ducked his head guiltily. He had snuck a glance at Echizen just when the boy had pulled off his shirt.

"Oi."

Dan turned around, hurriedly tugging his oversized T-shirt on. He just hoped the blush on his face wasn't too obvious.

Echizen was wearing similarly baggy, comfortable sleepwear. As efficient and no-nonsense as he always was, he had already arranged their portable futon properly, together with the thick blanket on top. There was a frown knitting at his brows as he cast Dan a glance. "We don't have sleeping bags." The look he subsequently gave was one of obvious irritation. "I just _knew_ it."

Dan didn't know what to say; he just felt a sharp sting in his chest. It was the same when he had seen Echizen face-to-face again that morning, after a whole two weeks of not seeing him when Echizen had been totally wrapped up in the Kantou preparations. Echizen had looked positively ill at seeing Dan. Then, there was the tennis match where Echizen was forced into playing doubles with him even though Echizen was strictly a singles player. Again, at the campfire when he accidentally overheard Fuji-san ordering Echizen to share a tent with him. And now, for the umpteenth time, Echizen had to share space with him again in the same tent, on the same futon. No wonder Echizen was pissed about it.

"What are you doing there?"

Dan blinked rapidly, before getting to moving as he clambered as lightly as he could over the futon, making sure not to touch Echizen at all. Actually, what he really wanted to do was hug Echizen properly, like how he hugged his soft toys. But he realised they were a little bit older now and it was just not...right anymore. Besides, Dan didn't want to feel worse than he already did. He didn't want to think of Echizen's look of disgust if Dan really did something like that.

As Dan laid down, he realised then how close the two of them were. The tent was small to begin with. And now, lying on the same futon with Echizen and wrapped in the same blanket, the tent seemed even smaller. His heart began to beat like a thousand drums were thundering all at once; his hands got clammy.

"Oi," Echizen said again. "What's wrong with you?"

For one crazy second, Dan considered not speaking to Echizen at all. He simply could not trust himself to sound coherent or keep his emotions under control if he should even look at Echizen. But he did anyway. Turning his head, Dan tried not to choke when he nearly bumped noses with Echizen. _Ohmygod, we're so close!_

"What?" Dan squeaked.

"You heard me. What's wrong with you?" Echizen said quietly. There was no anger in his tone. One of his arms was tucked under his head. Without his cap, his dark bangs tumbled across his forehead, making him look so much more like the thirteen-year-old he was. His amber eyes were sharp as always, but now his expression was only inquiring.

"There's - " Dan breathed, swallowing several times. "There's nothing wrong - "

"You're lying," Echizen told him as a matter-of-factly. "There's something wrong with you," he looked awkward for a moment, before continuing. "You...didn't smile much today."

"Smile?"

"Not as much you used to."

"You were watching me?" Dan blurted out and wanted to stuff his stupid foot into his stupid mouth.

But instead of glaring and turning over onto his other side like Dan had really thought he would, Echizen simply stared for a moment, before shrugging. "Yeah. You haven't answered my question."

"I..." Dan's mouth worked silently for a few attempts as he tried to get the words out without sounding like a complete moron. Then, he just knew there was no way around it, and he spoke in a rush. "Doyouhateme?"

Echizen raised an eyebrow. "Say what?"

A deep breathe. "Do you hate me, Echizen-kun?" When Echizen did not answer at once, Dan bit on his lower lip to stop it from quivering so much. "You looked like you didn't want me around today. If - if you don't like it, you just have to tell me, and I'll make sure I don't appear in your life again. Like, _ever_!"

"Like. Ever," Echizen repeated. He turned his face to stare upwards at the low ceiling of the tent. "You sure you can do that? I recall you saying something like that before, but then you started stalking me again."

"Well, I - " Dan flushed hotly, and somewhat indignantly despite himself. "I can try!"

"I don't hate you."

"EH?!"

"You heard me," Echizen muttered, shifting a little as though he was trying not to squirm. "Earlier, those idiot senpai are around, so I - " he stopped speaking, as if realising how much he was revealing and opting for stony silence instead.

"Does - " Dan felt suddenly light and free, like a huge, huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Now he found he absolutely enjoyed sharing the futon with Echizen. And the blanket. Especially the blanket. "Does that you mean you like me?"

"Don't push it," Echizen growled under his breath, looking resolutely away.

_Silence means yes! _Dan grinned to himself, his good spirits returning in full force. He understood now. Echizen simply was being himself the whole day, particularly when his seniors were around. That didn't mean he hated Dan or anything. It just meant he wouldn't admit to liking Dan even under the threat of certain death. Dan thought he could live with that very much. It was really not all that different with Akutsu-senpai.

A strangely-comfortable silence reigned for a while as both boys were lost in their mutual thoughts. Then, Dan snuck a quick peek at Echizen. The Seigaku freshman was not sleeping. He had taken to staring upwards again, his profile sharp and boyishly handsome. Watching him made Dan's cheeks burn.

"You played all right today," Echizen said again, a little more gruffly this time, as if he was just not too used to dishing out compliments.

"Not really," Dan sighed and pursed his lips. "My ankle's still a bit sore after I fell in my team practice. So I was a bit slow on the court today."

"That was slow?"

"Yeah," Dan rubbed his head sheepishly. "Usually I'm faster."

"Hn," Echizen had an odd look in his eyes like he had some revelation or something.

"I'll never be as good as you though!" Dan said cheerfully. He knew his own limits and had no problems with it. As long as his seniors, Echizen and Seigaku did well, he was happy. "You were amazing against Sanada-san!"

"I did okay," Echizen sounded as non-committal as ever, but he had that small quirk to his lips that clearly said he was pleased with himself. "There is just - " An unusual pause. "One area I still need - practice."

Dan jerked his head around in surprise. It was entirely out of character for Echizen to make an admission like that! Besides, Dan couldn't think of ANY area which Echizen needed improvement in. Other than - recollection lit up in Dan's mind and he stared at Echizen.

Echizen was keeping his face turned away. Only the tensed line at his jaw indicated any emotion otherwise.

"Do..." Dan swallowed around the enormous lump in his throat. "Doyouwanttopractisenow?"

One second. Two seconds. Several seconds. Dan thought his heart was going to leap out of his chest.

Then... "Maybe."

Without thinking, and with a damn lot of nerve that Dan was sure he would never work up again in his life EVER, he rose and then swung himself around so he was straddling Echizen and leaning down on his elbows. Echizen had gone completely rigid.

Hurling all caution to the wind and crossing his fingers in his heart, Dan bent down and pressed his mouth to Echizen's lips. It must be the weird position and the awkward angle, but his kiss landed off-course and he ended up catching the side of Echizen's mouth instead and clattering their teeth together. Dan jerked back with a furious blush. That was _horrifically, horribly, mortifyingly, the-world-is-over_ BAD!

"Why does your first kiss always suck?" Echizen shot him a truly withering look.

"So - Sorry!" Dan stammered, ready to get off Echizen and bury himself in a hole. Abruptly, a hand wound into his bangs and jerked him back down. "Oof!" Dan winced as his nose bumped against Echizen's.

And that was the last thing Dan uttered for QUITE a while because in the next moment, Echizen was kissing him. Hard. Soft. Hard. A hand at the back of Dan's head to hold him firmly in place. In a demanding, impetuous, imperious manner much like the way Echizen played tennis. With an all-consuming fire that stole Dan's breath away, and when they finally pulled apart, left their lips kiss-bruised and red and wet.

"I...I wanna do that again!" Dan declared.

Echizen was still breathing erratically, his cheeks stained with a rare red. "No - way! You only need one practice session for that." He glared ineffectually. "I want to sleep."

Dan's lower lip stuck out in a pout. He didn't get WHY they must always stick to just ONE kiss. If he had his way, they'd do it all the time! Echizen was already scrunching up his face in that way when he refused to budge on a topic.

Sighing, Dan settled for the next best thing. He flopped down like a boneless doll, curling his arms around Echizen, ignoring the undignified yelp from the boy, and tucking his face into the crook of Echizen's neck. It was SO much warmer this way too.

"Oi..." Echizen sounded peeved and embarrassed and altogether unsure of himself. "Oi, get off."

"...g'night...Ryoma-kun..." Dan murmured against warm skin, snuggling closer. He had absolutely no intention of moving whatsoEVER.

"I...I told you not to push it!"

Silence. Dan was fast asleep before he knew it, the day's events and emotional rollercoaster finally catching up with him. So he didn't hear the words from the other boy as they were uttered resignedly in the small, quiet tent.

"Whatever."

* * *

The next morning was bright sunshine and cool breeze and not a speck of clouds in the clear, clear sky.

Fuji, Kaidoh and Inui had already kept their tents and even freshened up. Oishi was trying to keep up while nursing dark eyebags from a rather restless sleep as one had to tolerate when sleeping next to an extremely fidgety Kikumaru Eiji. Kawamura and Momo were actively trying to get their tent under control enough to pack it away.

"What about the two chibis, nya?" Kikumaru piped up suddenly, looking around to the still standing tent which housed their two youngest boys.

"Let me go wake them," Fuji said agreeably, already moving towards the tent. "They must have had an active night."

"Fuji-senpai..." Momo, who had been listening in, now looked a little green around the edges. "You know HOW wrong that sounds? On SO many levels?"

"Eh..."

Kikumaru looked completely blank, until he caught the drift. "Oh! OH!" his eyes rounded. "Fuji! What if they're not even wearing - " he broke off with a yowl as Oishi's elbow caught him in the ribs.

"They're twelve," Oishi looked properly scandalised. "Eiji, _please_. And - Fu-Fuji! Wait, don't - !"

Before anyone else could voice an objection or protest, Fuji had already pulled open the flaps of the tent. He stared inside for a long, wordless moment. There was no smile on his face, no sign at all what he was looking at. At length, he rose to his feet and turning, beckoned them over with one hand. Like an obedient bunch of schoolboys, they trooped over, burning with both trepidation and no small amount of curiosity.

The flaps were pulled wider, and a myriad of different pairs of eyes peered in.

There was silence. Then there was an almost collective sigh of "aww...".

The two young boys slept soundly, oblivious to the world. The blanket was already tossed off to God-knows-where. Echizen was on his side, face half-hidden in long bangs that did not belong to him, one arm flung carelessly around the bundle of soft hair and slender limbs curled against him. Dan Taiichi shifted in his sleep, murmuring a little, before burying himself deeper into Echizen's chest and neck.

"I guess..." Oishi spoke quietly, affectionately. He turned around and winked at the smiles from the rest of his team members. "We can let them sleep a little longer."

Nestled together like two tired puppies, Echizen and Dan slept on.

* * *

fin


End file.
